Airlines and railways are kept busy throughout the year transporting delicate China pinks, graceful lilies, colourful orchids and numerous other popular varieties around the country to meet demand.

During the drab winters in some Chinese cities, one in every three flowers on display stands are from the small village in the suburbs of Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan Province.

As flowers bring colour to city life, they also bring happiness to Dounan's residents. "Our ancestors planted rice and vegetables and struggled to make ends meet. We are now making a fortune by planting flowers," said Li Wubin, a local farmer.

Li said the villagers started cultivating flowers in 1983 after trying some China pink seeds from Shanghai.

The rich soil and mild climate of Yunnan turned them into dazzling beauties, and the rest is history.

The villagers were amazed to find out that by selling flowers they could earn three times as much as they could selling vegetables. In a few years, their annual income reached an average of 50,000 yuan (US$6,024).

Li, 48, was able to have a three-storey house built.

Although enjoying the good fortune brought by the flowers, the farmers are concerned about the future of the industry. "The soil has deteriorated due to the excessive amount of chemicals applied," Li said.

He said it was too costly for a single farmer to improve the soil quality, as the land in the village has been divided among more than 1,600 households.

Li plans to rent land in a neighbouring village and use it for planting.

(China Daily October 23, 2002)