Hao said Ningxia's goji berries account for 55 percent of the national output, and the region's goji berry plantation area is expected to double by 2025 to about 46,600 hectares.

Output of the fruit will reach 700,000 metric tons by that year. About 40 percent of the fresh fruit output will undergo value-added processing, taking the comprehensive output value of the goji berry industry to more than 50 billion yuan.

In addition to its goji berries and wine, Ningxia's dairy products and the culture and tourism sectors have all earned high reputations at home and abroad.

Ningxia boasts 700,000 dairy cattle, 2.04 million beef cattle and 13 million Tan sheep.

The region's new energy capacity has expanded at an average annual growth rate of 40 percent, reaching 28.39 million kilowatts by the end of last year, ranking eighth nationally in terms of size, official data show.

Zhang, the winery owner, said, "Here in Ningxia, we have distinctive geographic conditions, enabling policy measures, and an expanding market to develop our specialty industries.

"I don't see why we cannot succeed."

Hu Dongmei in Yinchuan contributed to this story.

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