Product development initiatives raise living standards

China is known for its tea, but most residents of Fushan township on the tropical island province of Hainan have become accustomed to starting their day with a cup of coffee. Xu Shibing is one of them.

Xu, manager of the Fushan Coffee Industry Co, has worked in the trade for about 20 years, helping farmers grow and sell coffee. He has also put the township on the road to prosperity.

"My dream is for more people to taste our special-flavored coffee and spread news of it to the world," said the 52-year-old, who chairs the Hainan Coffee Association.

Fushan is located on the same latitude as the Blue Mountains in Jamaica and volcanic mountains in Kona, Hawaii — both key coffee cultivation areas.

Xu said Fushan's red earth, which is rich in the mineral selenium, aids the growth of coffee plants, producing a drink with a unique flavor.

Although annual production of Fushan coffee is not high, the local environment and the company's carbon roasting technique help give the drink its flavor and strength, Xu added.

Wang Xifei, Party secretary of Fushan township, said 252 hectares of land are used to grow coffee plants in the township, yielding 795,000 kilograms of coffee a year, with an annual value of 31 million yuan ($4.42 million). There are also more than 30 coffee shops in the area, which has a population of 18,000.

After seeing the benefits of coffee production, Wang decided to use more vacant land to expand the plantation. He encouraged other farmers to join the industry to boost their earnings. In addition, he said one-day trips to Fushan are being planned for visitors to aid development of the township.

Fu Cefu, a farmer in Fushan, was skeptical about making a profit from the plantation, until two years ago when he started working with Xu. Previously, the 46-year-old with a family of five earned a living from growing bananas.

"Life was hard, as the banana plantation relied too much on the weather. If there were frequent typhoons, I had almost no harvest," he said.

This meant it was difficult for him to afford the tuition fees of his three children-one in high school and two in primary school.

However, Fu now earns a steady income of 20,000 yuan a year from the 0.2 hectare of land used to cultivate coffee plants.

"Xu gives me the coffee seeds to grow, and his company is responsible for roasting and sales. I don't need to worry about there being no market for my coffee, and this has given me a great sense of security," he said.

A stable income, in addition to earnings from growing bananas, has lifted Fu's family out of poverty. "The most important thing is that I feel secure for life," he added.

The plantation has helped 27 other impoverished people in the township improve their lives. Another 1,000 local residents have sought jobs in the industry.

Xu said he has never worried about the market for Fushan coffee, "as our product has a different flavor and is especially strong".

Ji Changxun, a barista working for Xu's company, said, "Our carbon roasting gives the coffee its special flavor," adding that the drink helps attract tourists.