The China Astronaut Research and Training Centre recently debuted China’s first walnut outer space milk brand in Kunming. The company “Congzi” became China’s first aerospace food company to offer such a product.

In July 2014, the Yunnan provincial government and the China Manned Space Engineering Office signed a framework agreement promoting the space biotechnology industry.For more than three years, both sides have made gratifying progress in terms of space-bound food breeding programmes, biological sciences and applicable mountain agriculture research.

The Shenzhou IX manned spacecraft was launched successfully in June 2012. As an important national space experiment, the launch carried seeds including those from Yunnan Arabica coffee trees, Simao pines and Pu’er tea. Since then, the seeds and cuttings of nearly one hundred special species of Yunnan flowers, wild mushrooms, medicinal plants and mass-produced crops,totaling about 2,500 grams,were placed aboard subsequent Shenzhou IX, X, XI and Tiangong II rockets.

“From our market feedback, the quality of Yunnan agricultural products is pretty good. Take the high mountain cabbage for instance.It has a strong competitiveness in the national market,” said Liu Chunping from the China Academy of Technology,Shenzhou Lupeng Agriculture Science and Technology Company Ltd.Through earth bound experiments and breeding, Yunnan Plateau species have shown an increased output and resistance to disease and insects.  Space breeding for Yunnan coffee and native grasses has recently made a breakthrough and entered a third generation of breeding. To further improve the quality of the products and to make sound Yunnan Plateau agriculture brands, 17 products with 11 varieties have been selected from 18 enterprises and sent to the China Astronaut Research and Training Centre for further monitoring and research. After professional tests, Chongzi Moore Farm’s space food brand was officially recognized at a national level.

“With the development of China’s aerospace industry, the field, scope and applications surrounding space technology are expanding. In September 2017, the China Manned Space Engineering Office signed a new framework agreement with the Yunnan government to carry out a variety of cooperative research projects around the development of key industries in the province. More space-based science and research will transform into an innovative driving force for local economic and social development,” said Yang Liwei, deputy director of China’s Manned Space Engineering Office.

IK