Chongqing - The 21st Western China (Chongqing) International Agricultural Products Fair (CCIAPF) has opened to the public, with large exhibition halls packed with mouthwatering specialties from the districts and counties of Chongqing, provinces around China, in addition to wines and foodstuffs imported from countries worldwide set to attract broad interest among prospective buyers from September 22-25.
This latest edition has been themed on rural revitalization empowered by sci-tech innovation, with 29 enterprises from 12 nations, including Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, participating in the exhibition.
The 2023 CCIAPF features exhibitions from the numerous counties and districts of Chongqing with local specialty produce on display and sale (Photograph/James Alexander)
At the same time, a total of 27 provinces and municipalities from around China have brought more than 2600 agricultural businesses to Chongqing, with over 7200 products for display and sale covering grains, oil, fruits, vegetables, aquatic, meat, tea, and alcoholic products, while corporate buyers numbering more than 330 are in attendance for trade negotiations.
Industry platform brings novelty and cooperation
Additionally, the CCIAPF has strongly emphasized new products and has taken the first step of organizing launch events for the first time, with ten major corporations, including New Hope Group, Yili Group, and Yihai Kerry, unveiling new product lines for sale.
On the regional level, 744 new agricultural products are registered as nationally famous, specialty, and high-quality brands, including 290 products from the western region and 17 from Chongqing, covering 29 major categories such as tea, livestock, poultry, and aquatic products.
Visitors check out specialty products from Chengkou County in Chongqing, such as the famous brand of old bacon (Photograph/James Alexander)
Regarding commercial partnerships, there have been signing ceremonies hosted for 109 major investment projects connected to rural revitalization, with a contract value worth 31.1 billion yuan, covering industries such as pig rearing, agricultural tourism, and food processing.
Meanwhile, a wide range of business activities have been arranged for the Products Fair, such as the Three Gorges Citrus Industry Development Forum, a docking and negotiation platform for exporting agricultural products, promotional events for high-quality brands, and celebrity live broadcasts online.
Guest City Xi'an showcases the rural economy
The provincial capital of Xi'an has been invited as the main guest city this year. It has brought a delegation of 16 leading enterprises, cooperatives, and family farms that showcase the layout of agricultural development and the fruits of industry modernization.
For example, counties have developed specific industries, while individual villages have come together to focus on a key product. The result has been fine branded products with national appeal ranging from goat milk, teas, muskmelon, kiwi fruit, and grapes.
Hu County grapes from Shaanxi Province have been certified at the national level, and authorized producers adhere to industry standards to offer a range of popular varieties and textures.
In 2022, Hu County grapes attained a brand value of 1.6 billion yuan to become a 'purple' business card and delighted public and corporate visitors in Chongqing who can make orders through integrated online and offline channels.
New branded products from Western China at the 2023 CCIAPF have numbered over 100 (Photograph/James Alexander)
Trade volume builds on previous success
Over the previous 20 editions of CCIAPF, the total number of signed investments and trade contracts has reached 500 billion yuan, while sales made live at the event have totaled 7.5 billion yuan to date.
As a result, the Fair has become an important platform to showcase results achieved in modern agricultural development and provides a high-profile link for industry cooperation and integration into the dual-cycle economic pattern.