The wine industry of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has flourished in recent years, thanks to growing wine exports, Chinanews.com reported on Feb.6.

Last year, wine exports of Ningxia grew by 46.4 percent year-on-year to 2.65 million yuan (about $410,485), bucking the global downward trend of wine exports caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data released by customs department of the regional capital Yinchuan.

Customs officers check Ningxia wine to be exported. (Photo courtesy of Yinchuan customs)

The major destinations of Ningxia wine exports were the US, EU, Australia and Japan.

Not long ago, wine of Xige Estate, a chateau in Ningxia, was exported to Canada, the most difficult yet attractive market for all estates in the world to enter, proving the fine quality of Ningxia wine, said Christelle Chene, International Affairs Director at Ningxia Xige Estate.

The wine industry plays a vital part of the foreign trade of agricultural products of Ningxia, which has a grape-growing area of 492,000 mu (32,800 hectares), one quarter of the country's total.

To facilitate wine exports, the Ningxia government has adopted multiple measures. The customs department of Yinchuan simplified customs procedures and improved efficiency so that the wine could be exported in a timely manner.

Ningxia enters harvest season of wine grapes in September. (File photo)

Under the help of Ningxia's foreign affairs office, Ningxia wine is now on the shopping list of Chinese embassies and consulates overseas. According to statistics, more than 7,000 bottles of wine have been sold to China's diplomatic and consular missions in 36 countries so far.

In December 2020, gift packages consisting of fine-quality wine of Ho-Lan Soul were sold out within a few days at the 12th "Love Knows No Borders - Let Dreams Take Flight" International Charity Sale held by China's Foreign Ministry in Beijing.

“Our efforts to boost sales of Ningxia wine, through charity sale, live streaming and e-commerce, aim to let the world better understand the wine. We are looking forward to building more platforms to let more local specialties go global,” an official with Ningxia's foreign affairs office said.

A wine cellar in Ningxia (Photo/Li Peishan)

In recent years, Ningxia has seen a booming wine-tourism industry. According to Ma Yongming, assistant to the director of the management bureau of a grape industrial park in Ningxia, in 2020, estates in the region received over 800,000 visitors, sold a total of over 22 million bottles of wine, and garnered online sales of more than 350 million yuan, up by 25 percent year-on-year.

Ma said that Ningxia wine centers are seen in cities in and out of the region, such as Beijing, Xi'an and Hangzhou, adding that such centers will also be opened in foreign countries to display the wine culture of Ningxia.