From cold vegetables to selenium sand melons grown in stone cracks, with the help of the platform effect of the China Arab States Expo, Ningxia’s characteristic agricultural products not only successfully entered the Arab market, but also accelerated to a broader international market along the “the Belt and Road”.
Since May 2nd last year, we have exported about 220 tons of vegetables, including cucumbers, eggplants, beans, etc., to the United Arab Emirates through cargo planes. Vegetables can be transported from the factory to the supermarket in Dubai in just 36 hours, with almost zero loss and fresh quality, “said Wei Wentao, General Manager of Ningxia Xingyuntian Modern Agriculture Development Co., Ltd.
According to Wei Wentao, two years ago, through the China Arab States Expo, they met the relevant person in charge of the UAE Wenchao Group and invited them to visit and taste the company’s planting base. They really like the taste and quality of vegetables from Ningxia. We initially tried exporting a batch of Shanghai green, but it was quickly sold out. Now, the variety of exported vegetables continues to increase, and the two sides have formed a stable cooperation model, “he said.
In the cold storage of Ningxia Xingyuntian Modern Agriculture Development Co., Ltd., workers are packaging vegetables. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Sijia
The United Arab Emirates is an important exporter of agricultural products to China in the Middle East region. In addition to vegetables, in August of this year, the well-known specialty selenium sand melon from Zhongwei City, Ningxia, was also exported to the United Arab Emirates for the first time, sending this unique sweetness to distant Arab countries.
The reporter learned from the interview that Ningxia’s unique natural conditions provide strong quality assurance for agricultural product exports. The large temperature difference between day and night, as well as the dry and cool climate, result in fewer pests and diseases, lower pesticide residues, and better quality of local agricultural products.
Liu Yan, the general manager of Ningxia Yinguan Food Co., Ltd., said that the horseradish they grow in Ningxia has excellent quality, and the white radish is sweeter and crisper than those grown in other regions.
It is precisely because of these advantages that this enterprise, which mainly exports dehydrated vegetables, came to Ningxia from Anhui in May 2023 to develop planting bases and establish processing plants. The Yinchuan Comprehensive Bonded Zone, where it settled, is precisely one of the important platforms for Ningxia’s “opening up to the west” initiative.
Liu Yan said that the company produces nearly 2000 tons of dehydrated vegetables annually, mainly exported to countries such as Russia, South Korea, Argentina, and Hungary. We also plan to use locally advantageous vegetables from Ningxia as raw materials for deep processing and develop the export business of frozen vegetables
The sustained and stable export has established the international reputation of Ningxia’s characteristic agricultural products and attracted more overseas buyers. Wei Wentao told reporters that they have just exported a batch of vegetables to Mongolia by land transportation and are still negotiating vegetable trade with companies from Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman.
The 7th China Arab States Expo opened on the 28th. As an exhibitor, Wei Wentao carefully selected 8 best-selling cold vegetables for export to Dubai, hoping to attract more customers and further expand the international market.
Farmers are working in the selenium sand melon field in Xiangshan Township, Shapotou District, Zhongwei City. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Peng
Lu Huiyuan, the head of the E-commerce (Foreign Trade) Department of the Commerce Bureau of Zhongwei City, said that taking this selenium sand melon export as an opportunity, Zhongwei City will gradually promote the export of local agricultural products such as dry apples to Arab countries, and consider expanding the fine planting area of selenium sand melons and increasing the export quantity.