HAIKOU, March 21 (Xinhua) -- From Australian finger lime and Central American yellow pitaya to West African miracle fruit and Cuban mamey sapote, looking through the "window of world tropical fruits," one marvels at the variety of fruits, the names of many most likely unknown to the average observer.

Located in the picturesque countryside of Qionghai, in south China's island province of Hainan, this vast "kingdom of tropical fruits" spanning 1,000 mu (about 66.67 hectares) is home to an astonishing variety of exotic fruits from around the world, highlighting both biodiversity and China's growing openness in the agricultural sector.

"So far, nearly 700 types of tropical fruits from over 50 countries and regions have been introduced," said Wang Qiao, general manager of Hainan Grand Modern Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. who noted that 420 of these varieties were introduced to China for the first time at this location, with 380 of them proving successful in trial cultivation, earning the site the nickname "United Nations on the Tongue."

According to Dai Jun, director of the Qionghai Tropical Crop Service Center, the park, by integrating agriculture with tourism, has become a driver of rural economic development. "It follows a model consisting of enterprise, cooperatives and farmers," he said.

By giving or selling seedlings to local farmers, the project has promoted cultivation of 40,000 mu of high-quality tropical fruits across Hainan, said Dai, while adding that it contributed to the upgrading of the fruit industry in 20 villages and benefited more than 1,000 households directly.

One of the beneficiaries is Quan Deru, who used to toil in her own orchard. In 2019, she learned that the park was recruiting farmers to pick fruit. "I thought that I could work for them without affecting my own farm work, which meant that I could have some extra income," she said.

Now she can earn more than 4,000 yuan (roughly 557 U.S. dollars) as a monthly salary from the park. Additionally, having noted that South American abiu fruit was proving profitable, she started growing the fruit in her own orchard, while she has also received subsidies from the local government since 2022.

"The company is giving us seedlings for free, while our costs in growing the abiu is quite low," she said, beaming. "The exotic fruit is sweet and juicy, and has medicinal properties, making it is easy to sell. Our 10 mu of abiu fruit trees are beginning to bear fruit."

Tourism revenue is another source of income for the park. Since opening to the public in 2022, the park has welcomed more than one million visitors. In 2024 alone, it recorded 455,300 tourist visits -- marking a 25.57 percent year-on-year increase.

Notably, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 will be held from March 25 to 28 in Hainan.

Capitalizing on the prominence of the BFA, the site has been upgraded to a 4A-rated tourist attraction this year, serving as a window to showcase Chinese agriculture to the world. Visitors can enjoy immersive experiences like chocolate and lipstick making, while using agricultural products from the park.

The park plans to create a world resource center for tropical fruit germplasm and an international agricultural exchange center to boost cross-border cooperation in terms of talent, technology and trade, said Wang.

Quan, meanwhile, has expanded her orchard this year, trying to also grow guava. "I would like to grow more novel fruits in the future to increase my income. Life is becoming better," she said. Enditem

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