Yunnan village makes succulent profit

He spearheaded the development of a comprehensive system that includes seedling cultivation, technical guidance and product procurement. A 4,000-square-meter processing facility was established to seamlessly integrate harvesting, processing and storage, effectively tackling challenges like cactus preservation and initial processing limitations.

Lu actively collaborated with institutions like China Agricultural University in Beijing and Southwest Forestry University in Kunming to form a 20-member research and development team, creating over 10 high-value-added products such as cactus beer and enzymes. This shift from selling raw materials to marketing finished products and brands enhanced the value-added potential by more than threefold.

To diversify sales channels, Lu partnered with a local agricultural investment company to establish a specialized operations team that covers offline supply, online sales and exports. As a result, the products are now available across several provinces and in neighboring countries.

In August 2025, 20 tons of edible cactus pads were exported to Vietnam, representing China's first cross-border shipment of these products, according to Kunming Customs.

Truong Cong Le Hoang, an executive member of the Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs Association, sampled cactus-based products like cactus beverages, describing their main advantages as having a "health concept" and "cultural appeal".

As the cactus market grows, the village has expanded its cultivation, reaching approximately 333 hectares last year, with a total annual output value of 15 million yuan.