The citrus industry is booming in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the growth is playing a big part in the country's efforts to eliminate poverty by 2020. Our reporter Wang Mengzhen visited a citrus orchard and met the farmers.

Harvest in the winter season. That has become a routine for farmers growing citrus fruits on the outskirts of Southern China's Nanning city. Local villager Huang Mingguang set up his own business in 2014. And he has invited over 100 households to join him.

HUANG MINGGUANG OWNER, MEISEN AGRICULTURE COMPANY, GUANGXI "I became rich from citrus planting many years ago. Then I decided to teach my fellow villagers how to grow citrus, especially how to use organic fertilizer and new technologies like an intelligent irrigation system. Our products like the sugar citrus here have gained the trust of customers from different parts of China."

Many here 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.

HUANG ZHAOQUN, LOCAL VILLAGER, NANNING GUANGXI ZHUANG AUTONOMOUS REGION "Since growing citrus, my wife and I could gain some 30 thousand yuan a year from it. That's more than the wages earned at the construction site I used to work at. It's sufficient to support our two children."

Guangxi has now become the leading citrus fruits production base nationwide.

HUANG QINGDAO, POVERTY RELIEF OFFICER, WUMING DISTRICT NANNING, GUANGXI "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 has become one of the top sellers during the Chinese New Year season."

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.

WANG MENGZHEN NANNING "The battle against poverty in Guangxi is ongoing as the region still needs to lift 2.6 million people out of poverty in the next two years to meet China's 2020 goal of poverty elimination. Wang Mengzhen, CGTN, Nanning, GUANGXI Zhuang Autonomous Region."