April 8, 2025, Chengdu -- On the plateau pastures of Heishui County in Aba Prefecture, 1,000 Tibetan fragrant suckling pigs, after undergoing strict quarantine, are ready to be shipped to Hong Kong. These specialty agricultural products from the snowy plateau will arrive at major supermarkets in Hong Kong within 48 hours, becoming a delicious dish on the local residents' dining tables. "Our goal is to achieve a stable supply of 10,000 heads per month," said Zeng Youjun, general manager of Sichuan Ruiheliang Agricultural Technology Development Co., Ltd., who is in charge of this export, with full confidence.

The latest statistical data shows that Sichuan's agricultural product exports experienced explosive growth in 2024, with a total export value reaching $1.29 billion, a year-on-year increase of 25.1%. Behind this impressive report card is the comprehensive development of Sichuan's specialty agriculture. In terms of export structure, five major categories — aquatic products, fruits, beverages, vegetables, and livestock products — account for half of the market, contributing a combined 49.5% of the export value.

It is particularly worth mentioning that Sichuan's aquatic product exports have shown remarkable performance, with the export volume of fish oil and fish fat ranking first in the country, and caviar exports coming in second, just behind Zhejiang. With the continuous expansion of production capacity at the caviar production base in Tianquan, Ya'an, Sichuan is expected to become the national champion in caviar exports in 2025. The International Food Exhibition will provide more export information. 

In the China Late-Maturing Tangerine Trade and Logistics Park in Danling County, Meishan City, workers are busy packing freshly picked baba tangerines into boxes. These tangerines will be transported to Kazakhstan via cold chain logistics. "Since our first export to Thailand in 2023, our tangerines have opened up markets in Southeast Asia and Central Asia," said Yang Jing, deputy general manager of Sichuan Dancheng Modern Fruit Industry Co., Ltd. Data shows that in 2024, the export volume of Danling late-maturing tangerines reached 1,300 tons, 187 times that of the previous year.

Professor Li Ming from the School of Economics at Sichuan Agricultural University analyzed that the competitiveness of Sichuan's agricultural products in the international market mainly comes from two advantages: "First, the unique ecological environment creates high-quality products, and second, the off-season market window brings benefits. Take tangerines as an example; when the main producing areas in the Northern Hemisphere enter the off-season, Sichuan's late-maturing tangerines fill the market gap."

To continue to drive the growth of agricultural product exports, Sichuan Province recently issued the "Implementation Plan for Promoting the Export of Agricultural Products," proposing to achieve an export value of agricultural products exceeding 10 billion yuan by 2027. To achieve this goal, Sichuan has launched a series of policy measures:

1. Base Construction: Nine national-level and 42 provincial-level high-quality development bases for agricultural international trade have been cultivated throughout the province. As a national base, Jiajiang County in Leshan City saw its tea exports exceed 40,000 tons in 2024, firmly holding the title of "Top Sichuan Tea Export County."

2. Channel Expansion: Through activities such as the "Tianfu Granary" high-quality "Belt and Road" tour, more than 180 agricultural enterprises have been organized to participate in overseas exhibitions, securing nearly 400 million yuan in intended orders. Seven overseas display and sales centers and overseas warehouses have been established so far.

3. Service Upgrade: Efforts are being made to explore the establishment of a provincial comprehensive service platform for agricultural product exports, providing one-stop services for exporting enterprises. At the same time, the construction of cold chain logistics infrastructure is being accelerated to enhance the preservation and processing capabilities of agricultural products.

Despite significant achievements, Sichuan's agricultural product exports still face many challenges. A relevant official from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs admitted, "Compared with coastal provinces, we still have obvious shortcomings in the number of export bases, processing and storage capabilities, and trade leading enterprises."

Therefore, Sichuan is focusing on transforming agricultural product exports from quantity-based to quality-based. On the one hand, it is strengthening international certification and brand building. Currently, Danling late-maturing tangerines are applying for the Global Good Agricultural Practice certification to prepare for entering the EU market. On the other hand, it is actively embracing new business forms such as cross-border e-commerce, supporting enterprises to expand international markets through digital channels like live-streaming sales and independent websites.

"The future competition will not only be about products but also about the competition of industrial chains and value chains," said Professor Zhang, director of the China Western Economic Research Center at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. "Sichuan needs to transform its ecological advantages into brand advantages, making 'Sichuan-branded' products synonymous with high-quality agricultural products in the international market." The International Food Exhibition also make efforts to make Chinese agricultural products world famous.

With the in-depth implementation of the RCEP and the continuous improvement of the international logistics system, Sichuan, located in the inland area, is entering a golden period for agricultural product exports. From plateau Tibetan fragrant pigs to Yangtze River caviar, from late-maturing tangerines in southern Sichuan to high-mountain vegetables in western Sichuan, more and more "Sichuan flavors" are spreading their fragrance around the world, telling the new story of high-quality development of Chinese agriculture.

If you would like to learn more about the food industry, please visit the SIAL China website for more information.

Source: CFSN

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