Rural E-commerce: Internet revolutionizes poor Chinese villages

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Shuangle is almost empty, like many villages across the country. Most adults have gone out to the cities for better jobs, leaving behind the elderly and children living from hand to mouth, disconnected from the outside world. Now villagers are taking their first stab at e-commerce, selling farm produce to consumers nationwide. Tao Yuan has the story.

Loaches have been called ginseng in water. Hu Chengxiao is hoping he can make some money farming them. His rural co-operative is now connected to the internet, pitching its products to consumers countrywide. Their loaches are now going out by the truckloads.

TAO YUAN WANGJIAYAN VILLAGE, SICHUAN PROVINCE "Just two years ago, this village was relatively cut off from the outside world. The roads were bad and internet coverage was almost nonexistent. Now, China is in a massive effort to lift millions of people out of poverty. The people here are hoping that these loaches could be their solution."

Leading the e-commerce effort is Li Xiaochuan - a seasoned businessman. The huge online market took even him by surprise.

LI XIAOCHUAN, OWNER DAOQIUXIANG FOODS "You bypass the middlemen and reach your consumers directly. That means we have more over the quality of our products, so they can be sold at a higher value. For us, that's more profit."

The loaches reach their first stop - a shopfront at the county seat, two hours' drive from the village on twisting roads. The produce goes online, and from here, it travels to customers across the country. China's e-commerce market is expected to be worth 1.7 trillion US dollars in the next two years. More underdeveloped villages are now getting their share.

FENG QIYIN SANTAI COUNTY E-COMMERCE DEVELOPMENT CENTER "In the past, the farmers had difficulty buying AND selling products. E-commerce solves that problem. That's why it has a huge potential in our villages."

Good reason to be optimistic. But Li Xiaochuan still has concerns. Many of his workers are people like Hu Chengxiao, who will soon be too old for tough physical work. Li has a bigger plan.

LI XIAOCHUAN, OWNER DAOQIUXIANG FOODS "I want a processing factory for canned loaches, loach sauce, even cosmetic products from loach extract. Loaches are highly nutritious. The internet will make it possible for our products to go even outside of China."

Hu Chengxiao is counting on this plan. Light production line work means he can push back his retirement date. That's more reward for a lifetime of hard farm work.

HU CHENGXIAO WANGJIAYAN VILLAGER "When that day comes, if I can still work, I'll keep working."

For him, the internet revolution came just in time. Tao Yuan, CGTN, Santai County in Sichuan Province.