Flower industry ignites new development momentum

China has emerged as the world's largest flower producer. In 2023, China's flower retail market reached 216.58 billion yuan (about $29.54 million), with the total sales volume of brick-and-mortar flower shops hitting 98.65 billion yuan and online sales of fresh flowers totaling 117.93 billion yuan.

According to the China Flower Association, China is the world's largest producer of fresh-cut carnations and lily flowers, and ranks second in the production of fresh-cut Chinese roses and chrysanthemums. So far, the planting area of flowers in China has reached about 1.5 million hectares. Over 5 million people are engaged in the flower industry.

People visit Dounan flower market during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Oct. 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

In recent years, many regions have focused on developing flower production bases and improving breeding techniques. One such innovation is smart greenhouses.

Colorful butterfly orchids are in full bloom in the 200,000-square-meter smart greenhouses of a modern orchid base in Wangguanji township, Suqian, east China's Jiangsu Province.

"We currently have over 300 varieties of butterfly orchids," said Cao Guofeng, general manager of Jiangsu Guofeng Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. The company produces over 60 million tissue culture seedlings and 12 million regular seedlings that are ready for planting or transplanting annually, achieving an output value of 320 million yuan in 2023.

"Butterfly orchids are popular during Chinese New Year. We've prepared nearly 100,000 flowering butterfly orchids and about 3 million seedlings of various specifications for the holiday," said Liang Kang, production supervisor of the orchid base.

The orchid base has created jobs for over 500 people, said Xiong Guangxian, Party chief of Wangguanji township.

"I earn more than 30,000 yuan annually working at the orchid base. It's close to my home," said Shan Mei, a resident of a villager in the township.

The butterfly orchid industry has also boosted local agritainment facilities and pick-your-own farms.

Improved logistics has allowed local flower markets to become both nationwide and international players, and nowhere is that clearer than in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province.

At 4 a.m., the Dounan flower market in Kunming is bustling with activity as wholesalers purchase flowers for nationwide distribution and export to over 50 countries and regions.

At 1 p.m., the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center begins its auction of more than 1,500 varieties of fresh-cut flowers. At the Beijing Flower Trading Center, 2,000 kilometers away from Kunming, flower merchants can participate in real-time bidding, enjoying next-day air delivery for their purchases from Yunnan.

A streamlined procurement process has reduced costs and improved efficiency, making flowers more affordable.

China has become a major player in the global flower trade. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's flower imports and exports reached $710 million in 2023, with exports of $438 million to 119 countries and regions, and imports of $272 million from 57 countries and regions.

Over the past years, an increasing number of regions have organized flower-themed exhibitions and activities, promoting the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism.

The International Horticultural Exhibition 2024 Chengdu, which was held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, drew over 10 million tourist visits. The event helped increase the city's horticultural businesses to over 55,000, with the sector's output surpassing 13 billion yuan.