File photo: CGTN

KUNMING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- About 1.37 million people bid farewell to poverty last year in southwest China's Yunnan Province, the local government said Monday.

According to the provincial poverty alleviation conference, 3,005 villages were no longer labeled poor as of the end of 2019, and the average income of farmers in poverty-stricken areas rose from 2,744 yuan (392 U.S. dollars) in 2013 to 9,249 yuan last year.

The poverty headcount ratio in eight autonomous prefectures dropped to 0.86 percent last year from 10.58 percent in 2015.

The province is expected to achieve its goal of poverty alleviation in time, according to the meeting.

China has set a goal to eliminate extreme poverty by 2020. Over 10 million Chinese people shook off poverty every year since 2013.