More than 100 agricultural products from Xinjiang are available at the "Tuoling Wufu" store in Zhoushan. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

The first batch of 300,000 metric tons of apples, which were harvested in Aksu, a city in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, are being sold in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, local media reported.

The sales of these apples represents a move by the Zhoushan municipal government to lift Aksu out of poverty. These apples were directly delivered from Aksu to Zhoushan on Nov 10 after they were picked at the Hongqipo farm in Aksu.

According to Guan Xinzheng, director of the distribution center of Xinjiang specialty goods in Zhoushan, these apples are being sold at a price 20 percent lower than usual.

Guan added that lamb from Aksu will also be transported to Zhoushan in 48 hours and will be available for Zhoushan residents until May 2021 together with Aksu apples.

Aksu is the pairing-assistance city of Zhousan. In recent years, Zhousan has offered Aksu assistance in industrial and intellectual matters.

This year, Zhoushan has leveraged consumption to drive Aksu's poverty alleviation efforts. To help Aksu farmers lower logistics costs and increase sales channels, Zhoushan had in October established a store called "Tuoling Wufu" exclusively for Xinjiang specialty goods.

More than 100 agricultural products from Xinjiang, including seasonal vegetables, grain, oil, meat, and dried fruits, are being sold in the store. To date, the store has raked in 600,000 yuan ($90,000).