A group of farmers from China's central Hubei Province traveled thousands of miles to promote their navel oranges in Beijing Saturday.

These farmers, who are immigrants from the Three Gorges Project, come from Zigui county, Hubei Province, where is known as China's hometown of navel oranges.

"Zigui has 200,000 mu (13,333.33 hectares) of navel oranges with annual output of 200,000 tons. Most farmers there live on planting navel oranges," said Luo Pinglang, party secretary of Zigui.

However, the farmers' income reduced sharply in recent years due to the fiercer competition from other orange producers and lack of publicity.

Xiang Feng, a farmer from Zigui, said: "every household just earns about 5,000 yuan (US$735.29) after a year of toil and sweat."

"That's why we come to Beijing and promote our oranges. I hope our fruits could dominate China's northern market one day," Luo said.

The delegation brought six local orange trees with them and taught the audience how to pick oranges on the spot.

"Zigui produces more than 30 varieties of oranges. They can be stored longer than oranges from other places," Luo said.

The delegation also visited Haerbin, capital city of China's north Heilongjiang Province for promotion on Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2009)