Pear blossoms have recently burst into bloom in Rudong county, Nantong and local farmers are busy with the blossom thinning in the sea of flowers.

According to Liao Chunfang, chairman of a local fruit and vegetable cooperative, thinning out redundant blossoms on the pear trees can allow the nutrition to be supplied to a limited number of blossoms, which will increase the percentage of fertile fruits and improve the quality of pears.

Liao said the pear trees grow well now and the first batch of pears is expected to become ripe and come into the market during the mid-July.

Pear blossoms recently burst into bloom in Rudong county, Nantong. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The cooperative was established in 2013, relying on the technology of Nanjing Agricultural University. Experts from agricultural committees of the province and the county, as well as Nanjing Agricultural University, are regularly invited to offer guidance to local farmers.

Effective and targeted cultivation techniques are hoped to be developed for different species, and cultivation regulations have been made to monitor the whole processes, from planting to selling.

The cooperative currently has 102 members and has set up wholesale branches in several major cities, such as Shanghai, Suzhou and Nantong. Its pears prove popular among consumers and the total incomes of farmers increased by over 1 million yuan ($141,543) in 2019.