Farmers collect sod in Qianchang village, Rugao on Nov 9. [Photo/CFP]

Qianchang village in Rugao, Nantong has been developing a new source of income by selling sod, bringing in more than 30 million yuan ($4.7 million) annually.

Hailed as the first village in Jiangsu to develop its sod industry, Qianchang is planting more than 10 varieties of sod over an area of some 200 hectares.

Gu Jianhua, who has been engaged in the sales of sod for more than 20 years, has sold more than 3 million square meters of sod around the country this year.

The village also established a mode combining the village's Party branch, cooperatives, plantations, and farmers to boost its  sod industry.

Many sod growers even rent farmland in surrounding villages for planting, expanding their business scale and creating jobs for local farmers.