The chairman of the Muyuan Food Co, based in the city of Nanyang, in Henan province, Qin Yinglin, and his wife ranked among the Top 100 of this year's Huran Rich List, the only Henan tycoon to make it, and up from last year's 9 billion yuan worth ($1.42 billion) to this year's 20.5 billion yuan.

The couple rose from last year's 188th place to this year's 98th.

Qin started his business 23 years ago by raising 22 pigs near his home in Neixiang county, near the city of Nanyang, and now presides over the Muyuan Group, whose assets exceed 5 billion yuan. The company is listed in Nanyang and is China's largest supplier of live pigs.

Qin says that he devotes himself to social development and has donated 115 million yuan to rural poverty alleviation, education, science and technology and new rural construction. He also has helped more than 4,500 farmers and 1,500 undergraduates find employment. He holds 171 national patents and many honorary titles such as "Chinese Top 10 Outstanding Young Farmers" and "Henan Provincial Model Worker".

Edited by Roger Bradshaw