Chongqing - Ten key financing projects, totaling 2.77 billion yuan (approximately 386.83 million USD), and 86 key investment attraction projects, with a combined contract value of 44.43 billion yuan, were signed at the Chongqing Industrial Ecosystem High-Quality Development Conference for Food and Agri-Product Processing on June 15th in Southwest China's Chongqing.

These projects spanned pivotal sectors like pre-packaged dishes, snacks, meat, eggs, dairy, hotpot ingredients, agricultural cultivation, farming, agricultural machinery and tools, trade, and logistics.

The Chongqing Industrial Ecosystem High-Quality Development Conference for Food and Agri-Product Processing commenced on June 15th in Southwest China's Chongqing. (Photo/The event organizer)

Carrying the theme of "Integration, Innovation, Ecology, and Win-Win," the conference aimed to nurture a unique industrial ecosystem for food and agri-product processing in Chongqing. The event focused on leveraging local specialties, expanding the agricultural product industry chain, and encouraging collaboration among various expertise, technologies, and capital.

Wang Fengzhong, Director-general of the Institute of Food Science and Technology at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), underscored the significance of original technological innovation.

He stressed the need to discover the essence of traditional local cuisine and convert it into digital and standardized forms. By employing automated factories and preserving the knowledge of master chefs, the industry can attain standardization and scalability, thus achieving global recognition, Wang explained.

Cui Lin, Secretary General of the China Food and Packaging Machinery Industry Association (CFPMA), asserted that the future resides in digitization and intelligent technologies.

Viewing Chongqing's position as a hub for characteristic food industries, the incorporation of advanced technology and the improvement of basic technical equipment will propel intelligent solutions and the overall growth of Chongqing's distinct agricultural products, said Cui.

The conference also hosted roadshows for prospective IPO companies, investment promotion sessions, and seven industry development salons focusing on grain and oil, meat, eggs and dairy, fruits and vegetables, snacks, pre-packaged dishes, hotpot ingredients, and traditional Chinese medicine materials. 

The industry development salon for meat, eggs, and dairy sectors. (Photo/Deng Yan)

In addition, Chongqing launched the "Hot Products" Opportunity List for the food and agri-product processing industry in the city, featuring famous Chongqing delicacies such as Chongqing hotpot and Chongqing noodles.

Over 300 companies partook in the special exhibition, displaying nearly 1,000 products, including local specialties like Fuling pickled vegetables, Yongchuan Xiuya green tea, Qianjiang mushrooms, Jiangjin Sichuan peppercorns, Nanchuan Dashu tea, Hechuan peach slices, among others.

China Otop Design Exhibition. (Photo/Deng Yan)

Additionally, the conference held ceremonies to announce the Industrial Investment Fund for the Chongqing Food and Agri-Product Processing Industry, as well as the China (Chongqing) Agricultural Product Processing Industry Innovation Design Competition.

The "Rural Revitalization - Asia's Otop Product Design Competition," hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of National Trade, was officially launched at the event, with the competition set to begin collecting entries in August.

More than 300 companies participated in the special exhibition, showcasing nearly 1,000 products. (Photo/Deng Yan)