Farmers in Minle county are busy harvesting astragalus under the Qilian Mountains. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

In late autumn, a 1,000‑mu (66.67 hectares) astragalus plantation in Tengzhuang village, Yonggu town, Minle county of Zhangye, Gansu province, welcomed harvest season. Local farmers have been busy digging up the medicinal roots, creating a vibrant and prosperous scene at the foot of the Qilian Mountains.

This year, Minle county has cultivated 210,000 mu of Chinese medicinal herbs, establishing 15 large‑scale planting bases — each exceeding 1,000 mu — along with four seed and seedling breeding bases. Fourteen new varieties — including astragalus, codonopsis, and angelica — have been introduced, and 21 new planting technologies, such as integrated water‑fertilizer systems and mobile sprinkler irrigation, have been demonstrated. The county has formed more than 400 specialized cooperatives and built eight processing enterprises with an annual processing capacity of 40,000 metric tons. The total output value is expected to exceed 1 billion yuan ($140.5 million).

In recent years, Minle county has made the medicinal herb industry a primary focus to adjust its agricultural structure, increase farmers' income, and strengthen the rural collective economy. By leveraging local resources and supporting leading enterprises, family farms, and major growers to participate in large‑scale and standardized cultivation, the county has fostered robust growth in its medicinal herb industry.