On the evening of January 9, a batch of “Sunshine No.1” tangerines from Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County were shipped to Canada via the combined land-sea transportation mode. The shipment, totaling 3,800 boxes, marked Zhijiang’s first export of tangerine products to the market in North America.
At the warehouse of the Zhijiang Agricultural Product E-commerce Storage, Logistics, Exhibition and Trading Center, workers placed the golden mellow tangerines into the customized boxes. These selected tangerines will embark on a 23-day journey across the Pacific Ocean.
“What we aim to achieve is to let Canadian consumers savor the same fresh flavor of Zhijiang tangerines as if they were just picked from the trees,” introduced the person in charge of Hunan Amida Company. Through a “full-process cold-chain freshness preservation + standardized packaging” mode and optimized land-sea intermodal transport service, the exporting company tried to ensure the tangerines’ taste remained largely unaffected despite the over-20-day transportation. “The ‘Sunshine No.1’ tangerines are resistant to storage by nature. And we have further enhanced them with advanced technologies, so that the tangerine quality can be ensured.”
Zhijiang tangerines have long been blessed with unique natural endowments. The distinctive purple sandstone soil in its major producing areas gives the fruits abundant sugar content and delicate texture. However, for a long time, lacking a well-recognized brand had made it difficult for the local citrus industry to break through the value ceiling.
The transformation originated from a top-down brand revolution. “From the time when ‘Wushui’ tangerines were rated as one of the Top 10 National Fruit Brands in 2014 to its integration into the ‘Huai Cheng’ regional public brand, we have built a multi-dimensional brand system consisting of ‘municipal public brands + county-level brands + enterprise brands’,” the head of the county’s Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs described this strategic upgrade to reporters. Nowadays, every box of exported Zhijiang tangerines bears a clear brand logo. “It’s like having an internationally recognized ID card, which has boosted the recognition of the fruit in the global market.”
Entering into the North American market is not an achievement that can be accomplished overnight. Hunan Amida Company has been deeply engaged in fruit export business for five years, with its market network extending to Russia and Southeast Asian countries. With this milestone breakthrough, the company has demonstrated greater ambition, planning to make “Zhijiang Amida” a well-known name in the international fruit market within three years.
Behind this confidence lies Zhijiang’s solid industrial foundation. Data shows that the county’s citrus cultivation area has stabilized at 200,300 mu (about 13,353 hectares), with an annual output of 311,000 tons and a comprehensive output value of 793 million yuan. Its export markets have expanded from traditional destinations like Russia and Southeast Asia to Africa and North America, mapping out a clear path of modern agriculture evolving from small-scale peddling to brand-based globalization. This golden fruit is emerging as a powerful engine driving the revitalization of rural industries and increasing farmers’ income.
The maiden voyage has set Zhijiang’s citrus industry on a brand-new starting line.
(Translated by Yang Hong)