KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Chongming, an island district of Shanghai at the mouth of the Yangtze River, banks on its large forest cover of 36,000 hectares, or 30 per cent of its total area and nearly one-third of Shanghai’s total, to give rise to “forest economics”.
According to Shanghai Chongming District Information Office, the forest cover played an important role in air purification, water conversation and climate regulation while agricultural products grown in the forest reduced the adverse effects of wind, drought, diseases and pests.
“While it is widely believed that high forest coverage can help improve the quality of local agricultural products, few may know that tall fruit trees such as orange and pear trees are also forest resources.
“Chongming fruit forests have both ecological and economic value,” it said in a statement today.
It said the Shanghai Conghui Agricultural Products Professional Cooperative also planted matsutake mushrooms in the forest in Xincun Town.
“The mushrooms are grown with local rice straw as the substrate and organic fertiliser is applied,” it said.
It said the district is also exploring planting Chinese herbs such as dendrobium and some shade-loving flowers and plants in forests.
Meanwhile, head of Chongming Luhua Agricultural Trade Co Gu Chao said the sales price of locally produced Cuiguan pears has surged more than 30 per cent this year and the brand-name pear was sold out as early as before the end of July.
Gu said the popularity of Chongming pear lied in its superior quality, owing to the island’s suitable environment for the growth of pear trees.
“Pear trees grow well and have fewer pests and diseases,” research fellow with the Forestry and Fruit Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences Luo Jun added.
-- BERNAMA
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