Guizhou's Xinglong Township Deploys Drones and Intercropping for Camellia Harvest

China News Service reported that in Tianshan Village, Xinglong Township, Sinan County, Guizhou Province, villagers are actively harvesting camellia fruit across the mountain forests. Packed bags of harvested fruit line the mountain pathways as workers gather the crop. Across Xinglong Township, more than 7000 mu of camellia out of more than 1.29 mu have reached production stage. Under the trees, continuous stretches of sweet potato vines and soybean stalks complement the rounded camellia fruit across the fields. To offset camellia maintenance costs without affecting tree growth, Tianshan Village intercropped high-yield sweet potatoes and soybeans under the trees. Revenue from these short-cycle grain and oil crops covers early-stage care costs while providing additional employment opportunities for local villagers. Steep slopes and narrow paths historically forced workers to carry harvested fruit down manually, prompting the base to introduce drones in 2026 with local government backing. Each drone can lift 150 jin of camellia fruit and fly from the mountain to the transit point in under 5 minutes. For 2026, Xinglong Township estimates a total camellia yield exceeding 270 tons from over 7000 mu of productive orchards. Intercropping under camellia trees has expanded to over 3000 mu, mobilizing more than 9000 person-trips of labor across the township.

Tianshan Village Party branch secretary Guo Yuesheng stated that drones reduced physical labor, allowing villagers to focus on harvesting and nearly doubling their daily picking volume compared to past manual hauling.