Harvest festival becomes a feast for farmers and consumers

Many cities, including Tianjin, Shenyang in Liaoning province, Wuhan in Hubei province, Guangzhou in Guangdong province, Chengdu in Sichuan province and Lanzhou in Gansu province have pledged to integrate resources in finance, technology and talent to host celebrations that combine the Farmers' Harvest Festival with the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday.

From stalls selling traditional snacks to cultural tours of villages, the activities are designed to ensure both rural and urban residents share the joy of harvest and prosperity.

The consumption season is not limited to buying and selling though. Online and offline events are adding flavor to the festival. Visitors can enjoy rural stays, countryside food tours, handicraft workshops and entertainment alongside shopping, Lei said.

"This year we are making consumption promotion a priority, so that the fruits of harvest can better translate into farmers' income," said Zhu Xuefeng, an official with the agriculture and rural affairs department of Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

During the festival, Fujian province and Ningxia will jointly host events linking rural fairs across the region to feature tastings of delicacies, specialty snacks and premium agricultural products, Zhu said. The program will also extend to rural stays, countryside tours and dining, encouraging urban residents to travel to villages and boost consumption, he added.