Farmers in Shache County of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have benefited from cherry growing, which helps increase their income and boost rural tourism.

Now they are busy harvesting 2,800 hectares of cherries and holding rural tourism and culture festivals.

Although Shache is located on the rim of the Taklamakan Desert with an arid climate, farmers in the county have succeeded in cultivating multiple species of cherries, with the town of Mixia growing the largest number of cherry trees.

The cherries, after being picked and packaged, will be transported by train and plane to different parts of the country for sale.

"We have eight mu (around 0.53 hectare) of cherries, and each mu can earn 30,000 yuan for us. We earn around 200,000 yuan every year," said Adil Dawut, a resident of Tuogaqi Village of Mixia.

Farmers in Shache have also held rural tourism and cultural festivals which attracted tourists to pick and buy cherries in the orchards and take part in other activities featuring local culture.

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