The per capita disposable income of Ningbo's rural residents increased by 9.7 percent year-on-year to 42,946 yuan ($6,607.8) in 2021, the highest among the 37 large and medium-sized cities in China.

In the first half of this year, the figure was 25,292 yuan, a growth of 5.7 percent year-on-year.

The uptick in income level of rural residents can be mainly attributed to the concerted efforts made by authorities to develop characteristic agricultural industries and their integration with other industries such as tourism, culture and sports.

Ningbo's administrative areas have developed key agricultural industrial chains that are centered on mandarin oranges in Xiangshan, vegetable processing in Cixi and honey peaches in Fenghua.

In Huangtan town, Ningbo's Ninghai county, the plantation of Chinese torreya now exceeds 8,500 mu (566.67 hectares). The yields are expected to hit 1.05 million kilograms this year, 150,000 kilograms more than the previous year.

The city is currently home to 12 provincial model agricultural chains with an annual output value of over 1 billion yuan, and 74 agricultural enterprises that have an annual output value of more than 100 million.

The annual income of leading agricultural enterprises above the municipal level in Ningbo currently stands at 71.2 billion yuan, official data show.

Six county-level areas in the city have been honored as national model for leisure agriculture and rural tourism.