Farmer wins prize for tallest green Chinese onion

Song Jinbao (left) from the Wangjin village of Zhangqiu, a district of Jinan, in East China’s Shandong province, harvested the tallest green Chinese onion, which stands 2.44 meters high. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A farmer won the a vegetable-growing championship by harvesting the tallest green Chinese onion, which stands 2.44 meters high, in a match held Saturday at Zhangqiu, a district of Jinan, East China’s Shandong province.

Song Guangbao from the district’s Wangjin village has won the title for six consecutive years. He was awarded 30,000 yuan this year for winning the championship.

Green Chinese onions planted in Zhangqiu, a district of Jinan, in East China’s Shandong province, are famous for being tall, crisp and sweet. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The match was one of the activities of the Zhangqiu green Chinese onion-featured tourism and culture festival, held during the weekend.

Green Chinese onions planted in Zhangqiu are famous for being tall, crisp and sweet. The district has 2,000 hectares of land where farmers grow green Chinese onions. The trademark value of the Zhangqiu green Chinese onion crop is evaluated at 4.7 billion yuan ($667.43 million), according to the district government.

Green Chinese onions planted in Zhangqiu, a district of Jinan, in East China’s Shandong province stand just a bit taller than a life-size cutout of Chinese basketball player Yao Ming. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A toddler tries to hold up a bundle of green Chinese onions planted in Zhangqiu, a district of Jinan, in East China’s Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Farmers harvest green Chinese onions in Zhangqiu, a district of Jinan, in East China’s Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Two young children each hold onto a bundle of freshly harvested green Chinese onions planted in Zhangqiu, a district of Jinan, in East China’s Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]