Themed "Celebrate a Fruitful Harvest, Embrace a Better Life", the 2025 Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival–Hainan Celebration kicked off on September 23, marking the start of the Chinese solar term of Qiufen (Beginning of Autumn), in Danzhou in the west of Hainan.

The event this year follows a "1+N" format, which features one central venue at the Haitou Sweet Potato Modern Agricultural Industrial Park in Danzhou, plus multiple sub-venues across the province.

At the main venue, a range of activities showcased the quality development Hainan has achieved on "the three rural issues" (agriculture, rural areas and farmers) over the years, including the Festival Farmers' Gala, the Danzhou Farmers' Fun Games, the Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Exhibition offering the public hands-on experiences and tastings of distinctive Hainanese heritage cuisine, as well as exhibitions featuring a variety of regional agricultural product brands from across the province.

A colorful, sparkling variety of homegrown agricultural products shown at the venue had the potential to make the mouth water, tempting attendees to have just one more bite, even after a filling lunch. These included Hainanese mooncakes and Dongshan goat at the ICH exhibition, mangoes and honey from Changjiang Li Autonomous County, wampees and avocados grown in Danzhou, and green tea and green oranges from Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County.

Agricultural products on show at the venue

It wasn't just about food, though. Amateur "athletes" representing different cities and counties across Hainan threw themselves into the fun games, cheered on by their "cheerleaders" and drawing laughter and applause in equal measure from spectators. Through Danzhou-themed events such as catching Danzhou chickens, a Haitou sweet potato obstacle race, contests for the best Danzhou dried crimson snapper, pomelo-pineapple bowling, sugarcane races, and rice-planting relays, the participants demonstrated their wisdom and rapport accumulated through daily work.

At the Farmers' Gala, troupes composed of farmers performed lion dances, farmer-artists showcased their calligraphic flair, and local Danzhou folk musicians performed original numbers. It was all topped off with a Danzhou Diaosheng choral and dance performance, a form of national intangible cultural heritage, given by a fifty-person choir, intensifying the joyful harvest atmosphere.

Activities of Local Farming Twist

The year 2025 marks the conclusion of China's 14th Five-Year Plan and the final year of the five-year transition to link poverty alleviation achievements with rural revitalization. The data released by the Hainan Provincial Bureau of Statistics shows that the total output of products from agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery sectors in the first half of 2025 was valued at 129.185 billion yuan (USD 18.14 billion), a year-on-year increase of 5.1%. Vegetable output reached 473.11 million tons, growing by 2.7%, while that of tropical fruits was 474.83 million tons, increasing by 5.1%, with mango, lychee, and pineapple production showing a significant increase. The number of pigs and poultry slaughtered steadily increased, ensuring an adequate meat supply, and aquatic product output hit 89.24 million tons, rising by 6.6%.

Overall, Hainan’s agricultural economy maintained a stable and positive trend, laying a solid foundation for a bumper harvest throughout the year.