Visitors line up for baked potatoes during the fourth Bangou sweet potato culture festival in Pingding county, in Yangquan city, on Nov 10. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]

The fourth Bangou sweet potato culture festival was held in Pingding county in Yangquan city in Shanxi province, on Nov 10. 

The event was jointly hosted by the publicity department, the agricultural and rural bureau, the culture and tourism bureau and the market regulation bureau of Pingding county, the Pingding Federation of Trade Unions and Jucheng town.

There were five display areas -- for sweet potato distribution, baking and tasting, farm production display of Jucheng town, exhibition of agricultural and sideline products -- from other towns in Pingyao county, as well as cultural and art performances at the event. 

About 30 famers recognized for their excellence in planting, selling and their assistance in poverty alleviation, were awarded by government officials of Pingyao county at the event. 

Officials said the festival aimed to further advertise local agricultural products, promote farm produce business matchmaking and trade, improve the reputation and competitiveness of Pingding county's agriculture and advance the restructuring of the sector locally. 

In addition, it was aimed at providing a communications and learning platform for farmers from towns and villages in the county -- and promoting agricultural and sideline products so as to help farmers boost their incomes. 

Pingding county, one of the three agricultural counties in Yangquan city, has been stepping up its rural revitalization strategy in recent years -- by accelerating agricultural restructuring and agricultural production, popularizing organic dry farming techniques, among other things. 

Officials said that as a result, agriculture is booming in local towns and villages, especially in Bangou village in Jucheng town, a sweet potato planting village known across Yangquan city. 

The village has increased its agricultural production and farmers incomes, moving from initial individual potato planting to large-scale potato production over the past few years.