AsiaNet 201102

ZAOZHUANG, China, Sept. 25, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

According to the Cyberspace Affairs Office of the CPC Zaozhuang Municipal Committee, the 2025 Pomegranate Industry Development Conference was recently held in Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, China. During the event, the inauguration ceremony of the Pomegranate Molecular Breeding Base took place, and the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) International Agricultural Products Trading Center Zaozhuang Sub-center" was established. A variety of new deep-processed pomegranate products were also unveiled.

The national forestry industry standard pomegranate was released during the conference, establishing unified regulations for seedling cultivation, fresh fruit grading, orchard management, as well as storage and preservation. The new standard aims to promote standardized and large-scale development of the pomegranate industry.

Zaozhuang is renowned as the "Hometown of Chinese Pomegranates." As a signature agricultural brand, pomegranates are deeply woven into the city's economic and cultural development. In recent years, the city has made the pomegranate industry a key driver of rural revitalization, promoting the integrated development of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. This effort has established a comprehensive ecosystem that spans breeding, cultivation, processing, sales, and the fusion of agriculture with culture and tourism.

The city has vigorously advanced initiatives to upgrade pomegranate processing capabilities. Products such as pomegranate-based cosmetics and veterinary medicines made from pomegranate peels have filled gaps in the domestic market. New business models like "pomegranate + tourism" and "pomegranate + wellness" have also been developed. In the first half of 2025, the Guanshi Pomegranate Garden scenic area welcomed 1.24 million tourists, generating tourism revenue of 120 million yuan.

Currently, Zaozhuang boasts over 120,000 mu of pomegranate cultivation area, with an annual output exceeding 120 million catties. The city offers more than 200 types of processed pomegranate products, spanning food, beverages, cosmetics, and handicrafts. In 2024, the total output value of Zaozhuang's pomegranate industry chain reached 4.8 billion yuan.

Source: Cyberspace Affairs Office of the CPC Zaozhuang Municipal Committee