In the rolling hills of Dejiang County, Guizhou Province, a peculiar fruit with thorny skin and golden flesh is rewriting the story of rural prosperity. Farmers in Xisha Village now harvest Rosa roxburghii – colloquially known as "spiky pears" – whose vitamin C content surpasses oranges by 20 times, creating a sweet spot between tradition and economic innovation.
Once a wild plant native to the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, this antioxidant-rich fruit has become a cash crop driving local development. "Every autumn, our village turns into a sea of gold," shares farmer Li Weimin, whose income tripled after switching to commercial cultivation. The fruit's anti-aging properties and immune-boosting benefits have attracted domestic health food manufacturers, with orders increasing 300% since 2020.
Local authorities have established cooperative models connecting 1,200 households to processing facilities, ensuring quality control from orchard to market. This aligns with broader efforts to develop specialty agriculture in China's southwestern regions, combining ecological preservation with poverty alleviation.
Nutrition researcher Dr. Zhang Ying notes: "Rosa roxburghii represents untapped potential for functional foods – a single fruit addresses multiple modern health concerns." As international interest grows, Guizhou's "spiky gold" demonstrates how traditional crops can fuel sustainable rural revitalization.
