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A photo taken on May 11, 2023, shows the clean rural environment in Shengfeng village, of Youchegang town, Jiaxing city, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo by Zhang Wenfang/for chinadaily.com.cn]

At first, the breeders were reluctant to change because they already had, more or less, a stable income.

"The farmers were unsure whether fruit plantation would succeed or not. But the unhealthy environment could not last any longer. To take a leading role, though we could make 3,000 to 5,000 yuan a day at most by selling hogs, my family was among the first to cease the business and begin growing grapes," said Fan.

"After the elimination of pollution sources and other efforts such as dredging, greening, sewage treatment and garbage sorting, the water has become increasingly clear. The water quality has improved from Level V, the lowest of China's five-tier water assessment system, to above Level III," said Fan.