Developing the loofah industry is one of the main channels for Chayuan village in Xinchang township, Changshan county, Quzhou, to expand its collective economy and increase villagers' incomes.

The village collective has now planted 110 mu (7.3 hectares) of luffa. These lands were transferred from 125 households for a period of 10 years. The annual rent is 450 yuan ($6.27) per mu.

In 2022, luffa-growing brought in 560,000 yuan for the village collective. More than 10 farmers work on the luffa plantation year-round and were paid a total of 450,000 yuan in wages last year.

As early as 2018, with support from Zhejiang Provincial Energy Group Co Ltd, the village used 25 mu of land on high mountains to develop photovoltaic power. While generating solar power, tea was also grown on the land.

As of June 18, the photovoltaic power generation project had increased the operating income of the village collective by more than 1.9 million yuan. This year's operating income from photovoltaic power generation is expected to reach 400,000 yuan.

Chayuan village also has a long history of growing oil tea. The whole village has more than 7,000 mu of oil tea plantations.

In 2022, the whole village produced 50 metric tons of tea oil, with sales revenue reaching 6 million yuan.

Last year, the village collective sold 20 tons of camellia oil for farmers, bringing in an additional income of 2.4 million yuan for farmers.