Chongqing — The hillsides of Ouying Village, Fengjie County, Chongqing, once scarred by heavy industry, are now covered in golden navel oranges.
This transformation from a polluted cement village into a thriving agricultural hub marks a significant shift in the Yangtze River basin, with the village's annual orange output now exceeding 100 million yuan (approx. 14 million U.S. dollars).
Villagers harvest navel oranges in Fengjie County. (Photo/Kenny Dong)
Fengjie County, located in the Three Gorges reservoir area, benefits from unique natural conditions and a favorable microclimate that supports robust navel orange growth, local officials said. The industry has become a key pillar of the county’s development, delivering both economic returns and ecological benefits.
In the 1990s, Ouying relied heavily on stone quarries and cement plants, leading to severe ecological damage. In 2013, the village transitioned toward a green development model, shutting down all eight industrial plants and initiating large-scale restoration.
This pivot was supported by over 700 million yuan in financial support during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. For instance, Chongqing Three Gorges Bank Co., Ltd. provided a 480-million-yuan green loan for river dredging and ecological repair, helping local water quality reach Grade II national standards.
To replace the lost industrial income, the village expanded its citrus orchards from 700 acres to approximately 1,400 acres. Financial institutions introduced specialized "Navel Orange Loans" to cover the high upfront costs and long growth cycles of the fruit. This capital has integrated modern technology into traditional farming, including mountain rail transport, drone-based pest control, and the "Fengjie Navel Orange Industrial Brain" digital platform.
Today, 30% of the harvest is sold via e-commerce at a 43% price premium, with exports reaching markets in Singapore and Thailand.
The village has also implemented a circular economy known as the "Orange-Rabbit" model. By raising 380,000 rabbits annually and using their waste as organic fertilizer, the village has reduced chemical fertilizer use by 30%.
Beyond raw fruit sales, Ouying has expanded into deep processing—producing orange wine and tea—and agritourism, attracting 21,000 visitors in 2025. This transition, backed by extensive credit facilities for cold-chain logistics and processing plants, demonstrates how targeted green finance can successfully pivot a local economy from ecological liability to sustainable prosperity.