Now, with the introduction of irrigation and the help of electric pumps, they successfully raise dry rice, wet rice, maize, and cotton. They are also major producers of Pu'er Tea, which is famous all over China. The Jinuos are hunters and gatherers. The men hunt with crossbows, poisoned arrows, shotguns, and traps. The meat is divided equally among all members of the hunting party, but the hides go to the hunters who shot the animals.
Every village has blacksmiths and silversmiths.
Men also make bamboo and wood furniture and other household items. The women gather wild fruit and edible herbs in the forests, and also spin and weave cloth. They carry things in baskets on their backs with straps tied on their foreheads. Marriages between siblings were common in the past. Today, marriages between cousins are still permitted in some villages.