Explore green wealth from harsh desert
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In the center of the Ulan Buh Desert in Bayannao'er in northwest China's Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, the vast land is covered with endless sand. Only some desert plants like the saxauls survive. However, further examine will reveal that there is a wealth of greenery hidden beneath the sand's surface.
![Photo taken on July 16 shows the saxaul forest in Dengkou County of Bayannao'er in northwest China's Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. [China Development Gateway by Jiao Meng]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20100729/00114320f5750dbb5f844b.jpg "Photo taken on July 16 shows the saxaul forest in Dengkou County of Bayannao'er in northwest China's Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. [China Development Gateway by Jiao Meng]") |
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Photo taken on July 16 shows the saxaul forest in Dengkou County of Bayannao'er in northwest China's Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. [China Development Gateway by Jiao Meng] |
Ma Xuexian, vice hhief of the Forestry Bureau of Dengkou County, introduced the Bureau's experience in the sandy region in a more economical way on July, 16, 2010.
"Planting saxaul is a good way to a build windbreak belt," he explained, "a Saxaul forest is unique brushwood that can help us achieve an environment of plants, animal kingdom, microclimate condition and soil."
"What' more, saxauls are able to be parasitized by cistanche deserticola underground, a precious medical material. It enables farmers who plant saxauls increase their income while protecting ecological environment," he said.
The local government began introducing cistanche deserticola in 2004, according to Ma. Since then, the cultivated cistanche deserticola technology has increased and enabled farmers to plant them in large areas. Right now the whole County has planted more than 220,000 mu saxauls.
"Farmers are very active in planting it, the average output value per mu is about 1,000 yuan (US$147.478)," he said, " if the farmers sold their cistanche deserticola to professional companies, they would earn more money."
Inner Mongolia Wangyedi Desert Cistanche Biological Co, Ltd., is a company focused on R&D and production of cistanche deserticola. Wei Jun, general manager of this company, showed his confidence in this emerging industry.
"Last year our sales revenue was about 11 million yuan (US$1.62226 million). This year we are investing 50 million yuan (US$ 7.37392 million) to establish an industrial park to further the processing of the raw material," he introduced.
"We are developing new products with the China Agricultural University to help fully unearth its value."
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