Flower industry shows vitality in Kunming, SW China's Yunnan

The 2024 China Kunming Dounan Flower Exhibition was held in Dounan, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, from Dec. 20 to 22.

Spectators admire flowers displayed during the 2024 China Kunming Dounan Flower Exhibition in Dounan, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing)

The well-developed cold chain logistics transportation system between Kunming's Dounan Flower Market and Bangkok of Thailand has enabled Dounan's fresh-cut flowers, including roses, carnations and lilies, to dominate 90 percent of the market share in the Thai flower market.

Photo shows flowers displayed during the 2024 China Kunming Dounan Flower Exhibition in Dounan, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing)

Having been involved in the flower business in Dounan for more than two decades, Zhou Fahua has witnessed the evolution of Dounan's flower industry from traditional cultivation to becoming a key player in the national flower industry. It now encompasses all aspects such as the latest flower information release, trade and distribution, transportation, foreign trade, and the promotion of new flower varieties.

The exhibition attracted nearly 100 flower institutions and companies from various countries such as the Netherlands, Japan, Thailand, the U.S., as well as regions in China including Beijing, and Shandong and Zhejiang provinces. Over the course of three days, the exhibition welcomed nearly 40,000 visits, with 40 percent being professionals. Additionally, the event saw the introduction of over 40 new flower varieties of hydrangea flowers, roses, chrysanthemum flowers and more.

Spectators take pictures of flowers displayed during the 2024 China Kunming Dounan Flower Exhibition in Dounan, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing)

Photo shows a new variety of hydrangea flowers with independent intellectual property rights on display during the 2024 China Kunming Dounan Flower Exhibition in Dounan, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing)

Since 2015, Dounan has actively hosted flower exhibitions, introducing over 400 new flower varieties. The exhibitions have attracted 1.02 million visits, driving the volume of consumption to reach 137 million yuan (about $18.77 million), according to Chen Jing, secretary of the Communist Party of China Chenggong District Committee in Chenggong district of Kunming.

During the exhibition, the Chenggong district government signed strategic agreements with eight flower enterprises on production, trade, logistics, e-commerce, and market operations, with a total investment of 240 million yuan.

Tourists buy fresh-cut flowers at the Dounan Flower Market in Dounan, Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Li Faxing)

According to Chen, Dounan now offers over 1,600 varieties of fresh-cut flowers across more than 100 categories, which are exported to over 50 countries and regions. From January to October this year, Dounan traded 12.3 billion stems of fresh-cut flowers, with a transaction value of 9.5 billion yuan.