STORY: How a magic berry transformed China's vast wilderness in its northwest
SHOOTING TIME: Aug. 10, 2024
DATELINE: Aug. 11, 2024
LENGTH: 0:02:53 
LOCATION: YINCHUAN, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Goji berry field
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHU XIAOBING, Deputy director of the Production Center of Xizan ecological goji berry plantation
3. various of Goji berry factory
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HAO XIANGFENG, Chairman of Beryl Gojiberries Co., Ltd.
5. various of Goji berry factory
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): FENG YINSHENG, Sales Director of Ningxia Zhongning Chunqi Wolfberry Technology Co., Ltd.
7. various of Goji berry field

STORYLINE:

Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, have turned formerly barren land in northwest China's Ningxia into a significant source of wealth for the region.

Ningxia is a major goji berry-producing area. More than 270,000 people are directly employed in the region's goji berry industry, which uses 325,000 mu (about 21,667 hectares) of cultivated area.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHU XIAOBING, Deputy director of the Production Center of Xizan ecological goji berry plantation
"Originally, this area was just a barren hill. After 11 years of soil and environmental improvements, it has become an oasis. This transformation has not only revitalized the environment but also created local jobs. Each year, our workers earn between 8 million and 10 million yuan (about 1.12 million to 1.4 million USD) from picking goji berries, with around 1,400 to 1,600 pickers employed annually."

Thanks to advancements in science and technology, Ningxia now makes a greater variety of goji berry products and sells them to a wider consumer base.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): HAO XIANGFENG, Chairman of Beryl Gojiberries Co., Ltd.
"From the fields to the factories and our labs, every high-quality goji berry has a story of technological innovation behind it. Without these advancements, we wouldn't have achieved the development we see today.
We invest over 10 million yuan (about 1.4 million USD) annually in R&D and hold more than 40 core patents for goji berries. Take our freshness-locking goji berries for example. Unlike ordinary goji berries that were sold cheaply by the kilogram, these are now sold by the gram, reflecting a significant increase in value."

Thanks to these efforts, Ningxia has developed more than 120 kinds of goji berry products, including food, drinks and cosmetics, which have been exported to more than 50 countries and regions around the world.

Driven by growing consumer demand for health-conscious products, goji berry products are becoming increasingly popular globally.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): FENG YINSHENG, Sales Director of Ningxia Zhongning Chunqi Wolfberry Technology Co., Ltd.
"Our company's dried goji berries, goji puree, and goji candied fruits are exported in large quantities to countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany, and France. In 2019 alone, we sold 300 tonnes of candied fruits to France. Since then, we've seen a 10% annual increase in sales as our products have gained customer recognition."

From January to April, Ningxia exported 1,331.2 tonnes of goji berries to countries and regions including Germany and the United States. That's a 15.3 percent year-on-year increase, customs data showed.

According to a development plan, the region's goji berry industrial chain is expected to reach 100 billion yuan (about 14.29 billion USD) in output value by 2030.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yinchuan, China.
(XHTV)