Once, it took an hour to carry a 20-kilogram crate of mandarins down the hill. Now it takes two minutes — by drone.

In Fucheng Village, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, citrus has long supported local incomes. Today, technology and exports are reshaping the business.

Drones move fruit down 500-meter hillsides. Automated lines sort and pack within minutes. Pre-cooled containers ship mandarins overseas in under an hour. Last year alone, around 400 containers were exported.

From baskets on farmers' backs to drones in the sky, the transformation reflects a broader shift across rural China — from poverty alleviation to modernization and global competitiveness.