Yunnan advances its distinctive agriculture

The cherry blossoms at the Wuliang mountain in Dali Bai, an autonomous prefecture of Yunnan province. [Photos by Shi Zhihong / for chinadaily.com.cn]

Yunnan province vowed to accelerate the construction of a distinctive agricultural base, with top priority given to conservation of the environment and biodiversity, according to senior provincial officials on Friday.

"Distinctive, green and high quality are the prominent labels of Yunnan's agriculture," Wang Xiangang, deputy secretary of the leading Party members group of Yunnan provincial government, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.

Wang said the province will encourage green planting, and improve processing, cold-chain, preservation and logistics, as well as better use technological tools to increase efficiency.

In 2023, the output value of Yunnan's key agricultural industries reached 2.5 trillion yuan ($345 billion), and that of processed agricultural products surpassed 1.4 trillion yuan, data from local authorities showed.

For example, Yunnan grew 19 billion flowers last year, making it the largest fresh-cut flower production area in the world, and the Dounan Flower Market in the provincial capital Kunming has become a benchmark for flower trading around the globe, Wang said.

In addition, Yunnan leads the nation in tea leaf area and production, and contributes 98 percent of China's coffee production, renowned as one of the most suitable areas in the world for coffee plantations.

"The quality of Yunnan coffee is internationally recognized," he said.

The province also has the most diverse types of fruits in China. The production of avocados and summer strawberries accounts for 80 percent of the national total, and it provides more than 145 varieties of traditional Chinese herbal medicines, half of the national market.

The distinctive plateau agriculture has a solid foundation and promising development potential with ample room for growth, said Wang Yubo, governor of Yunnan, adding that it's currently at a critical juncture of transitioning from "being large" to "becoming robust".

He emphasized the key role of ecological conservation in the province's high-quality development.

"Good ecology is a precious treasure of Yunnan and the country, which should be protected from generation to generation," he said, adding that it will spare no effort to protect each mountain, forest, lake and river.