Tourists pick mandarin oranges at a plantation base in Huangyan district of Taizhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/cztv.com]

Huangyan district in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, known for its prosperous mandarin orange plantation, has explored a new method of combining agriculture and tourism for economic growth.

The mandarin oranges in Huangyan used to be quite competitive in the country. However, due to the decreasing plantation area and a drop in output, the popularity of the agricultural product went downhill.

The district initiated a 10-year plan this year to rejuvenate the local orange industry by improving the fruit quality and combining it with rural tourism. The government invested 40 million yuan ($6.12 million) in perfecting facilities and building plantation bases. The results are quite satisfying.

The Shangyang township of Huangyan is a typical beneficiary of the plan. In late autumn when a mass of oranges hang on trees, the whole town looks like a beautiful oil painting with bright colors. A lot of tourists are attracted to savor the charm of rural scenes here and experience the fun of fruit picking. According to the town's government, there are over 1,000 visitors a day during the orange ripening season.

The fresh air, crystal water and lush mountains in Huangyan explained the sweetness of Huangyan oranges, said a tourist who was deeply impressed by the nature.

In recent years, Shangyang township has given full play to the orange culture by organizing a variety of activities, which also promotes the development of local orange sales and homestays.

Besides the focus on the extension of orange industry, Huangyan also pays attention to the fruit itself. Agricultural technicians are working to improve the quality of oranges by applying organic and pollution-free fertilizers. A local official Liu Gaoping said in the future, Huangyan will develop a plantation system to ensure completely non-polluted agricultural products.