Cows help farmers in Haiyuan County escape poverty
p.china.org.cn,December 21, 2017 Adjust font size:
To contribute to the fight against poverty, in 2012 China Resources (CR) began to offer targeted help to Haiyuan, an impoverished county in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. With a “fertile-cow bank” model, it got villagers involved in cattle breeding and helped them out of poverty.
Cows fed by Tian Hucheng, party secretary of Xuping Village in Haiyuan [Photo by Yang Xiaoxiao]
Tian Hucheng, party secretary of Xuping Village in Haiyuan, feeds six cows. “One cow costs more than 8,000 yuan (U.S. $1,200). CR grants a three-year interest-free loan of 6,000 yuan (U.S. $900) for each cow. Farmers only need to be able to afford the rest, some 2,000 yuan (U.S. $300),” explained Tian.
“It’s difficult for a farmer to afford 8,000 yuan, but 2,000 is okay. CR ensures a minimum purchase price of 28 yuan (U.S. $4) per kilo for bulls, and cows are kept for breeding,” added Tian.
In two years, Tian’s cows have delivered 9 calves, each of which can be sold for around 12,000–15,000 yuan (U.S. $1,800–2,300) when they are one and a half years old.
