Smooth trade benefits farmers from Yunnan, S and SE Asia

Editor’s note: The proposal and implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative has brought the people in China’s southwestern Yunnan province and neighboring countries closer together, and has generated many stories of peace and development. Beginning with this issue of ‘China·Yunnan’, we will devote a special column to Yunnan-based stories about Belt and Road Initiative.

On May 14, Mother’s Day, it is almost a universal practice for people around the world to express their gratitude to their mothers by giving them carnations. In many places on the planet, however, when people hold carnations in their hands, they may not know that the seedlings of these flowers come from the red soil of Yunnan.

In Xiaoshao Township in Yunnan Province, a rural road leads to a seed and seedling production facility owned by Yinmore Flower Industry Co., Ltd. It is tucked away deep amongst green mountains. In the greenhouses, workers are putting seedlings into bags before refrigerating and sending them to other provinces and overseas. General Manager Xiao Wangbao proudly told our reporter, the carnation seedling facility is the largest of its kind in the world.

According to Xiao Wangbao, Yingmao Flower Industry exports more than ten million carnation seedlings to Japan, Holland, Spain, Italy, Israel and other countries. In particular, the company provides carnation seedlings accounting for 30 percent of the entire Japanese market.

The export of carnation seedlings to overseas markets epitomizes Yunnan’s agricultural industry. In recent years, with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, agricultural products planted in Yunnan have grown to become a highlight of the province’s foreign trade landscape. For example, the Kunming Dounan Flower Market which now exports flowers to more than 40 countries and regions has become Asia’s largest fresh cut flower market and will hopefully become the world’s largest in the future. Yunnan also exports vegetables to more than 20 countries and regions. Statistics from Kunming Customs show that Yunnan agricultural exports in 2016 totaled 29.65 billion yuan, accounting for 38.7 percent of the province’s total exports that year.

In Kunming markets, imported mangos, longans, small pineapples and wax apples from Thailand are popular with customers. Cargo flights from South and Southeast Asian countries also deliver seafood from the Pacific and Indian oceans to the city before they are transshipped to places like Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing.

The growing trade in agricultural products not only has won over foodies, but has generated more income for farmers in Yunnan, as well as in South and Southeast Asian nations.

Today, Yunnan is committed to promoting the smooth flow of trade. It will take full advantage of 25 national Class I and II ports, and four types of state-level open parks, while striving to improve the level of foreign trade. The province is working hard to build itself into a regional international economic and trade center. 

 

Smooth trade benefits farmers from Yunnan, S and SE Asia

Editors note: The proposal and implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative has brought the people in Chinas southwestern Yunnan province and neighboring countries closer together, and has generated many stories of peace and development. Beginning with this issue of ChinaYunnan, we will devote a special column to Yunnan-based stories about Belt and Road Initiative. On May 14, Mothers Day, it is almost a universal practice for people around the world to express their gratitude to their mothers by giving them carnations. In many places on the planet, however, when people hold carnations in their hands, they may not know that the seedlings of these flowers come from the red soil of Yunnan. In Xiaoshao Township in Yunnan Province, a rural road leads to a seed and seedling production facility owned by Yinmore Flower Industry Co., Ltd. It is tucked away deep amongst green mountains. In the greenhouses, workers are putting seedlings into bags before refrigerating and sending them to other provinces and overseas. General Manager Xiao Wangbao proudly told our reporter, the carnation seedling facility is the largest of its kind in the world. According to Xiao Wangbao, Yingmao Flower Industry exports more than ten million carnation seedlings to Japan, Holland, Spain, Italy, Israel and other countries. In particular, the company provides carnation seedlings accounting for 30 percent of the entire Japanese market. The export of carnation seedlings to overseas markets epitomizes Yunnans agricultural industry. In recent years, with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, agricultural products planted in Yunnan have grown to become a highlight of the provinces foreign trade landscape. For example, the Kunming Dounan Flower Market which now exports flowers to more than 40 countries and regions has become Asias largest fresh cut flower market and will hopefully become the worlds largest in the future. Yunnan also exports vegetables to more than 20 countries and regions. Statistics from Kunming Customs show that Yunnan agricultural exports in 2016 totaled 29.65 billion yuan, accounting for 38.7 percent of the provinces total exports that year. In Kunming markets, imported mangos, longans, small pineapples and wax apples from Thailand are popular with customers. Cargo flights from South and Southeast Asian countries also deliver seafood from the Pacific and Indian oceans to the city before they are transshipped to places like Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing. The growing trade in agricultural products not only has won over foodies, but has generated more income for farmers in Yunnan, as well as in South and Southeast Asian nations. Today, Yunnan is committed to promoting the smooth flow of trade. It will take full advantage of 25 national Class I and II ports, and four types of state-level open parks, while striving to improve the level of foreign trade. The province is working hard to build itself into a regional international economic and trade center.