Dongxiang, Gansu - Sheep are helping villagers in Dongxiang autonomous county escape poverty, with a fast-growing Muslim mutton brand that is now targeting markets overseas.

Ma Zilin, who started to raise sheep three years ago, has 15 sheep in two new sheepfolds, which earn him a net income of about 10,000 yuan($1,566) a year.

"Before that I only grew potatoes and corn, and had no other income," he said.

He redecorated his house and bought a new washing machine last year.

In order to increase villagers' incomes, the local government in Dongxiang is supporting sheep rearing by building free sheepfolds for poor farmers and providing annual subsidies and rewards to sheep raisers.

Prior to the promotion of the mutton industry many people in Dongxiang, which is to the south of the Yellow River and in the southwest of Gansu province, were struggling to survive.

Because of the dry weather and limited land available for cultivation, villages amid the hilly and barren area traditionally grow potatoes.

Ma Heimaia 63-year-old Dongxiang man, earned an annual net income of about 30,000 yuan last year by raising 50 sheep.

"I am planning to build two more sheepfolds and add six more sheep this year, because the price of mutton is rising," Ma said.

His sheep farm is located along a narrow village road. Every month, Ma drives about 30 kilometers to sell sheep in a trading market.

"Usually, one sheep can be sold for 1,000 to 1,800 yuan. They are supplied to restaurants and fresh meat processing plants," he said.

The Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry of Gansu approved Dongxiang mutton as a pollution-free agricultural product in 2007, and mutton from Dongxiang is praised for its taste. "Dongxiang Shouzhua" is now a registered brand name and the meat is sold to Lanzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai.

Last year, the number of sheep raised in the county was 423,300, up 8.4 percent from 2009 and the animal husbandry production value was 223.9 million yuan, which accounted for 43 percent of the total agricultural production value, according to a report from the Animal Husbandry Bureau of Dongxiang.

Lanzhou Tianlong Dongxiang Shouzhua Ltd Co has invested 66 million yuan in an 8.73-hectare fresh meat distribution center in the Gansu Dongxiang Economic Development Zone. It is expected to begin operating in 2012.

"With preferential measures from the zone, including tax reduction and a land-use fee discount, we are aiming to expand the company, promote the Dongxiang mutton brand and occupy the Muslim food market in West China," said Tang Hui, the director of the management committee of the economic development zone.

"We also plan to sell our fresh meat to the international Muslim markets in Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa," Tang added.

The meat distribution center is planning to slaughter and process 360,000 sheep, with an expected annual production value of 44 million yuan, which is likely to contribute 3.5 million yuan for tax, according to Tang.

China Daily