[Press Release] Grand Opening of 4th China Pomegranate Expo Held in Mengzi

This content has been translated and edited by Produce Report from a press release written in Chinese.

On the occasion of the fifth Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival, an annual event initiated in 2018 to coincide with the autumnal equinox, the Fourth China Pomegranate Expo, the 10th National Pomegranate Production and Research Seminar, and the First International Pomegranate Culture Digital Cloud Expo were recently held in the city of Mengzi in China’s Yunnan province.

Mengzi, a major pomegranate-producing city with a planting area of 140,000 mu (9,333 hectares), has a reputation in China as “the city of pomegranates.” Last year, the city’s total output of pomegranates was 360,000 metric tons with a value of 1.2 billion Chinese yuan ($169 million). This year, following a bumper harvest, pomegranates from Mengzi have sold well on the market. Pomegranate blossom has also been named the city flower of Mengzi, while the large and sweet pomegranates grown around the city are the favorite fruit of many locals.

The Fourth China Pomegranate Expo was organized by the pomegranate branch of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science, the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation and the China Cash Forest Association, in collaboration with the Mengzi Municipal Committee and Mengzi Municipal People’s Government of the Communist Party of China. iFresh Asia provided additional support as a co-sponsor.

The beginning of the ceremony was virtually attended by foreign officials from various consulates, including Chen Zhuanghe, consul of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Shanghai, Asad Kaveh, vice consul of the Iranian Consulate General in Shanghai, Mario C. Tani, consul of the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai, and Ganggas Giandano, deputy director of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center and Indonesian Consulate General in Shanghai.

Li Guomin, deputy director general of Honghe Prefecture People’s Government, Li Li, chief expert of the National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Cao Shangyin, president of the pomegranate branch of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science were invited to deliver speeches in the opening address session. Li Li said that she hopes that this event would become a window showcasing the achievements and development of the pomegranate industry, a bridge facilitating exchange and cooperation within the industry, and a platform to promote pomegranate sales. She also expressed her expectation that attendees from all walks of life would take this opportunity to have in-depth exchanges, deepen cooperation and contribute to the overall development of the pomegranate industry. Cao said that the pomegranate branch would continue to work with everyone engaging in the Chinese pomegranate industry and redouble its efforts to further build Mengzi into a major player in the pomegranate industry and China into a country with a strong pomegranate industry.

Numerous experts and local officials were also present at the launch ceremony, such as Ke Bin, chief agronomist of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huang Mingsheng, deputy secretary-general of the CPC Honghe Prefecture Committee, and Li Mei, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Honghe Prefecture Committee and party secretary of the Mengzi Municipal Committee, who announced the opening of the event.

In the gift presentation ceremony, six paintings and calligraphy works created by six artists during a rural art tour in Mengzi were presented to the CPC Mengzi Municipal Committee and Mengzi Municipal Government.

In the award session, Mengzi was recognized with the “China (Mengzi) International Pomegranate Trade City” and “Outstanding Contribution Award of Pomegranate Industry in China” awards. Li Wenxiang, honorary director of the pomegranate branch of the Chinese Society for Horticultural Science, announced the winners of several categories, including cultivating the largest pomegranate fruit, producing the best processed pomegranate products, publishing excellent papers about pomegranates and making outstanding individual contributions to China’s pomegranate industry, who received plaques and certificates.

Image: iFresh