Ganyu Develops Under-Forest Industries to Boost Farmers' Income

Under-forest economy is a new phenomenon and emerging economic model in current economic development. Ganyu County focuses on developing the under-forest economy, adhering to diversified development toward "ecology, organic, green, and brand," and tapping potential in comprehensive under-forest management, green fruit bases, and follow-up industry construction.

The county government treats developing the under-forest economy as a top priority in rural economic development. Following the "four highs" requirements of high vision, high standards, high efficiency, and high returns, and guided by the Scientific Outlook on Development, it pursues scientific planning and coordinated arrangements to make Ganyu County's under-forest economy a new highlight of rural economic development and farmers' income growth. Following the working approach of "relying on resources to play the green card, pursuing multiple industries on a distinctive path, and interacting from top to bottom to recite the scripture," it firmly grasps both developing under-forest resources and increasing farmers' income, achieving three combinations: First, combining near-term planning with traditional breeding, vigorously developing under-forest projects with low investment and quick returns such as planting forage grass, raising pheasants, ducks, and geese. Second, combining mid-term planning with distinctive planting, focusing on under-forest specialty planting, promoting mushroom, black fungus, and other fungal cultivation throughout the county, striving to form a scale economy. Third, combining long-term planning with the utilization and development of forest resources, managing forests well, maximizing the restoration of forest vegetation, and enabling the green brand to generate maximum economic and ecological benefits.

Currently, the county has over 3,500 mu of under-forest forage grass planting; 11,000 mu of under-forest breeding area, with 7.5 million white geese and 5,500 pheasants raised; over 6,200 mu of under-forest mushroom and other fungal cultivation; and five towns including Jinshan, Lizhuang, and Heilin have established more than 60 forest and ecological agritourism farms. Through active participation by enterprises, the county has formed an industrialized development model of "cooperative + enterprise + base + farmer," laying the foundation for the healthy and rapid development of the county's under-forest economy. In the first half of 2011, the county's under-forest economy achieved 180 million yuan in industrial and agricultural output value.