Photo taken on July 10, 2022 shows safflowers bloom all over the hillside at Jagasitai Town, Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Basa Towuges)

On July 10, 2022, the morning sun cast the first rays onto a safflower field at the east of Jagasitai Town in Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang.

“Safflowers grow well with abundant rain in this year, and each of them has 7 to 12 blossoms, which is expected to create an earning of more than 2,000 yuan per mu,” said Tursun Abdumijit while putting fine-needle-like short-silk safflowers into a bag chequered with red and white tied at his waist.

Photo taken on July 10, 2022 shows Tursun Abdumijit picks safflowers at Akyar Village in Jagasitai Town, Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Basa Towuges)

Not far away, Dulkun Rehem and Parhat Turhan, villagers of Akyar Village, Jagasitai Town, were competing for picking safflowers by their deft hands.

“Brother Li, after I finished picking my field, I will work for you!” said Parhat smilingly to Li Zhonghua, a local safflower farmer.

“I pay 18 yuan each kilogram for picking safflowers this year. The florescence waits for no one!” Li answered Parhat and started calculating how much he could earn this year: dried safflower is at least 135 yuan per kilogram...

“After the opening of Yining-Zhaosu Highway, part of the highway passes through safflower planting fields, and we plan to open an experience trip for tourists that mainly focuses on tourists picking and watching safflowers,” said Usanjan Abdurexit, deputy secretary and town mayor of Jagasitai Town. Safflowers are allowed to be taken away by tourists after picking.

Photo taken on July 10, 2022 shows safflowers bloom all over the hillside at Jagasitai Town in Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Basa Towuges)

Safflower increases the income of people in Jagasitai Town. In 2022, safflower planting area in Qapqal reaches 80,000 mu, including 30,000 mu in Jagastai Town. In 2021, the output of safflower dried pistil was 432 tons and safflower seeds was 2,160 tons.

In 2016, CNPC invested 9.9 million yuan in the safflower industrial park project, and built a safflower sorting, production, storage and deep processing center, and created a brand of safflower seed oil named ‘Yaqina’.

At the production workshop of the Yaqina Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang, Kunduzayi Yibula was labeling and boxing safflower seed oil that had been bottled and were going to be sold across China. The company also produces safflower honey soap, safflower tea, safflower foot bath bags and other products.

"We used to pick safflowers only, but now we process safflowers. Safflower is our happy flower," Kunduzayi said.

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