On October 15, the 4th China Citrus Festival is held at Guanzhuang Village in Yiling District of Yichang. Over 280 traders from 7 countries and regions including Russia and Canada, walk in the orangery of Yiling District, seeing oranges and tangerines and discussing business cooperation. Yichang "Xiaoxihong" citrus is awarded China famous brand and wins the prize for brand-inventor, with prize money of 500,000 RMB.
　　This festival is an extending of "the host by farmers instead of government" model. The festival focuses much on the real result, including holding activities in villages, orangery and markets to promote the development of rural tourism. At the festival, there are several interesting competitions, such as citrus comparison, tasting, picking and transport.
　　The festival activities include Ode to Citrus, Happy Citrus Park and Citrus World, and other 7 small theme activities: singing and walking into the citrus park, tasting in the citrus park, placing orders in citrus park, updating micro blog in the park, photo-taking in the citrus park, riding in the citrus park, and bringing beloved ones to the citrus park. A series of activities showed the corporative image of Yiling District and the development of the citrus industry.
　　The festival attracts more than 280 traders home and abroad. After experiencing, tasting and business discussion, they sign sales orders of in total 468000 tons, of which 100,000 tons order is signed with overseas traders, including Russia and Canada. According to Urat, a trader from Russia, Yiling is the best place to plant citrus and the products are favored by Russian people. At the opening ceremony, Huang Yanxiang and some other 9 planting experts win a commendation and are awarded 2 tons of citrus fertilizer.
　　The total planting area of Yiling orangery is 223.33 km² and the output is expected to exceed 700000 tons, up 20% over last year, which hits a record high. As of Sept. 29 this year, early-ripe citrus was sold out and the highest price is 2.60 RMB/kg, the average price of 1.50 RMB /kg, and total sales of 70,000 tons. (Reporter: Yang Chunyan, Correspondent: He Ying, Zhu Yongjie.)