Donggang strawberries finding favor overseas

SHENYANG — At the break of dawn, amid bone-chilling temperatures in Donggang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, workers were busy picking ripe, red strawberries hidden under leaves in a greenhouse.

The fresh-picked fruit was then weighed, placed on foam trays and packed in cardboard boxes at the strawberry packing factory at the Donggang Nongdao Agriculture and Forestry Technology Co, waiting to be shipped abroad.

"Over 300 boxes of strawberries were sent overseas today. Tomorrow, they will be placed on the shelves of supermarkets in Singapore, Thailand and other countries," said Ma Tingdong, head of the company. "This winter, overseas orders for fresh strawberries have surged."

At the 20th China International Agricultural Trade Fair in November, the company reached cooperation agreements with many foreign customers from Singapore, Indonesia and other nations. The company's fresh strawberry exports reached 2 million yuan ($281,000) in December, according to Ma.

Donggang, which first cultivated strawberries over a century ago, is now China's largest strawberry production and export base. According to the Donggang agricultural and rural bureau, the strawberry production area in the city exceeds 13,000 hectares, with an annual production of 300,000 metric tons. In the fourth quarter of last year, sales of fresh strawberries in Donggang reached more than 2 billion yuan.

"Donggang's strawberries are popular for their plump shape and sweet taste, thanks to the favorable natural conditions for strawberry planting," said Jiang Zhaotong, deputy director of Liaoning Strawberry Research Institute of Science and Technology.

With the Changbai Mountains blocking the cold air from the north and the Yellow Sea bringing warm and humid air from the south, Donggang enjoys a mild climate compared with other northeastern cities. Sufficient sunlight, rainfall and fertile soil rich in organic matter make the city conducive to cultivating high-quality strawberries, Jiang explained.

New technology applications have also advanced the productivity and quality of strawberries. Jiang said that through a smart temperature monitoring system, farmers can now monitor and control temperatures inside the greenhouse between 5 and 28 C through their smartphones.

"Having adopted the internet of things and other digital technologies, every strawberry produced by our company is traceable," said Ma, also the director of the local strawberry-growing association. When customers scan QR codes on strawberry boxes, information such as date of picking, the producer and the cultivation process will pop up on their phones.

While Ma's fresh strawberries have gradually won the favor of international customers due to their high quality, rapid customs clearance has also made it possible for more Donggang strawberries to be exported.

Donggang Customs has launched a special green channel for fresh strawberries, expediting declaration and inspection procedures to minimize the clearance time. Ma said that through the channel, it takes less than 12 hours for the fruit to clear customs.

"In the future, we will continue to expand our export business and make the world fall in love with Donggang strawberries!" Ma said.

Xinhua