Cherries are ripe in the 40-mu (2.7 hectares) greenhouse of the Runze Orchard Cooperative in Shaerqin town, Donghe district in Baotou city, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo/Baotou news network]

In recent years, Shaerqin town has focused on high-value cash crops such as cherries to vigorously promote the vitalization of its rural industries.

The Runze Orchard Cooperative has led more than 20 local farmers to plant and cultivate cherries. Now, the cooperative's annual income is nearly 2 million yuan ($291,040), and it has been rated as a State-level model cooperative.

"This is the second batch of cherries from the cooperative to have entered the harvest season, and they will be sold at 69 yuan per kilogram," Zhang Shengli, chairman of the cooperative, said. "The first batch of cherries that were picked weighed more than 5,000 kilograms, and were later put on sale in March. They were very popular in the market," he added.

A large number of domestic greenhouse cherries usually come on the market in May, but thanks to the cooperative's advanced temperature and humidity control system, it has harvested its cherries two months ahead of schedule.

In addition, in order to obtain high-quality cherries, the cooperative invites scientific researchers from an institute in Shandong to give them technical guidance every year.

At the same time, financial institutions have also helped the cooperatives' development.

A local bank used the cooperative's plant assets – its 1,400 cherry trees – as collateral for a 1 million yuan loan, which is the first plant asset mortgage loan to take place in Inner Mongolia.

"Next, we will launch a fruit picking tour route to encourage more villagers to participate in cultivation and increase their income," said Kou Wei, director of the industry office of the district's agriculture and animal husbandry bureau.