MIIT unveils key cultivation list for regional food industries, paving way to lift local economies

An aerial drone photo shows tea farmers picking this year's first batch of West Lake Longjing tea in Wengjiashan Mountains, the first-class protected area of West Lake Longjing tea base, in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 20, 2025. Hangzhou's West Lake Longjing tea (or Dragon Well Tea) officially started to be picked on the day of Spring Equinox, or Chunfen in Chinese. (Photo/Xinhua)

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Wednesday released the first items on a key cultivation list, featuring 39 traditional food-producing regions and local specialty food industries. The initiative aims to leverage regional strengths and drive economic development in those areas, an expert said.

According to the MIIT, the 39 food industries span a wide geographic range and include notable products such as Southwest China's Yunnan Province's small-grain coffee, West Lake Longjing tea from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province and Harbin red sausage from Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

These industries are distributed across 28 provinces and cover key segments of the food sector, including dairy production, beverage manufacturing, brewing and refined tea production.

Releasing the list is expected to significantly promote the food sector's growth in relevant regions and strengthen the industrial chain structure, Li Changan, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times. He noted the initiative will especially help improve product quality and brand influence.

"Most of the foods selected have a rich historical heritage and regional representation, and their industrial chains are relatively well-developed," Li added.

The MIIT stated that it will continue to prioritize the cultivation of traditional food-producing regions and local specialty food industries. The ministry will guide localities in developing unique industry strengths, fostering a diverse and dynamic food sector, and promoting high-quality growth.

Li emphasized that supporting regional specialty foods will increase their visibility, expand their market reach, and boost consumption. With the growing integration of culture and tourism and rapid cultural industry development, these products hold substantial market potential and room for growth, making them well worth continued exploration and cultivation.

In April, the MIIT announced the first items on China's signature consumer goods list, urging local governments to enhance promotion of leading enterprises, increase policy support, and accelerate the development of distinctive industries and premium brands.

The list includes 93 enterprise brands and 43 regional brands. The enterprise brands cover sectors including food, light industry, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.

Li noted that the newly released lists are more focused, primarily targeting traditional food-producing regions and local specialty food industries, emphasizing the distinct advantages and unique characteristics of different regions within the food sector.

"While the two lists have different objectives, they are complementary, and they collectively contribute to the development of a more comprehensive framework for guiding industry growth," Li added.

There are more than 450 specialty food production regions in China, with the industry valued at more than 2.5 trillion yuan ($347.75 billion), China Media Group reported on Wednesday. The country is now the world's largest food industry market, with a total industry size of about 9.8 trillion yuan.