The citrus industry is booming in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the growth is playing a big part in the region's efforts to eliminate poverty by 2020. CGTN reporters visited a citrus orchard and met the farmers.

Harvest in the winter season has become a routine for farmers growing citrus fruits on the outskirts of south China's Nanning City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Local villager Huang Mingguang set up his own business in 2014, and since then he has invited over a 100 households to join in.

"I became rich by planting citrus many years ago. Then, I decided to teach my fellow villagers how to grow citrus, especially how to use organic fertilizers and new technologies for an intelligent irrigation system," said Huang, owner of Meisen Agriculture Company. "Our products like the sugar citrus have won the trust of customers from different parts of China."

Many have shaken off poverty due to the booming citrus business. As of this year, Huang Zhaoqun's family is no longer living below the poverty line.

"After growing citrus, my wife and I could gain some 30,000 yuan (about 4,356 U.S. dollars) a year. That's more than the wages that I earned at the construction site. It's sufficient to support our two children," said Huang Zhaoqun, another local villager.

Guangxi has now become the leading citrus fruits production base nationwide. From planting citrus trees to packaging, many villages like this one have developed an industrial chain for citrus. And the region is seeking new opportunities for other subtropical fruits.

"First, the region has a perfect climate condition for citrus growing as it is situated around the Tropic of Cancer. Second, we've introduced a variety of new citrus in recent years from other places including the late-maturing one called wogan. After hitting the market, it became one of the top sellers during Chinese new year season," said Huang Qingdao, poverty relief officer of Wuming District in Nanning City.

These are stories of success, but the battle against poverty in Guangxi continues. The region still needs to lift 2.6 million people out of poverty in the next two years to meet China's goal of poverty elimination by 2020.