"Thanks to the consecutive droughts last winter and this spring, this year's plums taste even better than previous years," said Mr. Feng, a Sanhua plum farmer in Qianpai Town, Xinyi City, Maoming.
Villager harvesting Sanhua plums, photo by 茂名日报
Renowned as "the king of summer fruits in Lingnan area", Sanhua plums boast a sweet-tart and refreshing flavor. They are rich in vitamins and high in nutrition. Qianpai Town is widely recognized as "China's No.1 Sanhua Plum Town" . Nestled among mountains at 700 meters above sea level, the town enjoys a late spring and early autumn, with large temperature differences between day and night, which serves as a natural, exclusive greenhouse for plums.
Fruit-laden Sanhua plum trees in the villages. Photo by 茂名发布
Entering the town, you will encounter green mountains dotted with fruit-laden Sanhua plum trees, stretching as endless green carpets. Here, Sanhua plums are the local families' primary source of income. May and June, the peak harvest season, become the "golden months" for the households.
Villagers are distributing Sanhua plums for later transportation. Photo by 茂名发布
During this time, Qianpai's Sanhua Plum Distribution Center becomes extremely busy, as trucks loaded with plums stand ready to depart. A staff noted that during the busy season, around 15 transport fleets ship plums to every corner of China via well-connected routes.
As the country's largest Sanhua plum production base, Xinyi City reported a planting area of over 22,000 hectares, 386,200 tons of output, and a comprehensive output value exceeding 5.276 billion yuan in 2025. It significantly helped lift villagers' incomes.
Photo by 信宜发布
The ruby-red plums in Xinyi's mountains also draw numerous tourists. The surge in visitors has boosted local catering, accommodation, and other services.
Shuanghe Village in Qianpai Town has developed the Shanshui Shuanghe Scenic Area (山水双合), where mountains, rivers, streams, flowers, and trees blend harmoniously. Tourists can escape urban hustle here to immerse themselves in rural life, while residents' living standards have also been improved.
"Shuanghe has become so beautiful now. Scenery greets you at every turn, and evening walking has become a new trend for us!" Uncle Ling, a villager, smiled happily, standing on the Shuanghe Bridge.
Shuanghe Village. Photo by 信宜旅游
According to Zhang Canhua, deputy head of the town, over 1,200 farmhouses in the village have undergone unified renovation, and idle houses have been turned into homestays. The town has also turned every available space into green areas, building small parks and scenic spots adorned with wind chime flowers and flame trees.
Sanhua Plum Theme Park. Photo by 信宜发布
Baishi Town, meanwhile, has built the Sanhua Plum Theme Park & Scenic Area at Baishi Service Area along Yunmao Expressway, one of China's most beautiful green expressways. After picking plums, tourists can relax in the waterfront leisure area, hike up the forest boardwalk, or stay in charming wooden homestays in the mountains.
Wooden homestays in the mountains. Photo by 茂名发布
Reporter | Zhou Jiyin
Editor | Yin Juewen