On October 22, a batch of osmanthus flower extract successfully exported to Singapore, following inspection and quarantine by Xuzhou Customs. This marks the first time Xuzhou has exported osmanthus flower extract.
The plant extract industry is part of the green bio-health sector, where what might seem like ordinary agricultural products gain significant value through extraction and processing. In recent years, companies in Xuzhou specializing in plant extracts have entered a rapid growth phase. Their products not only hold a firm position in the domestic market but have also found extensive applications in food, health supplements, cosmetics, and more, earning recognition in international markets.
In the production workshop of Jiangsu Promai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., golden amber liquid flows from a single-effect concentrator, filling the air with a rich osmanthus aroma. Liu Chunlei, the production manager, explains, “These osmanthus extracts are derived from fresh osmanthus flowers through a series of processes, including extraction, centrifugation, and concentration, before being granulated, dried, and packaged. The final product is a pale yellow powder priced at 1,500 yuan per kilogram, with the first batch weighing 290 kilograms.”
As demand for green health food continues to rise both domestically and internationally, the market for plant extracts is heating up. Established in March 2023, Promai focuses on functional products that bridge food and medicine. The company’s research team comprises experts from renowned institutions such as Jiangsu University, Nanjing University, and China Pharmaceutical University. Through collaborations with these universities, Promai not only gains access to cutting-edge research and theoretical knowledge but also establishes a robust system for industry-academia collaboration, accelerating the transformation of scientific achievements into practical applications.
“We have a strong academic foundation in fields such as traditional Chinese medicine and food science, enabling us to translate research into real-world applications,” Liu said. Aside from exporting osmanthus flower extract, the company’s products like bitter melon and monkey head mushroom composite solid drinks for blood sugar control, and bamboo fungus and galanga composite drinks for uric acid control, are popular in the domestic market, with orders nearing 3 million yuan. Promai is actively exploring export channels for these two plant extract solid drinks, aiming to align with new trends in foreign trade while focusing on developing high value-added products.
At Jiangsu Lingyuan Yian Technology Co., Ltd., a different story unfolds in their chrysanthemum nursery. Company chairman Hu Qing moves among blooming flowers, assessing their growth. “We cultivate various cut flower chrysanthemum varieties, including Shena, Jingcheng, and Baishan, alongside edible varieties like Golden Silk Imperial Chrysanthemum,” Hu shares. “During harvest season, one acre can yield about 26,000 stems.”
Since 2008, when Hu leased 60 acres to grow chrysanthemums in greenhouses, the company has gradually penetrated the Japanese and South Korean markets, exporting fresh-cut flowers abroad. With consistent business expansion, their cultivation area has now increased to 600 acres, including over 50 greenhouses, enhancing production capacity.
“Exporting fresh-cut chrysanthemums offers limited profit margins due to market demand fluctuations. Four years ago, we began developing chrysanthemum extract products to build our brand,” Hu explains. Collaborating with Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Lingyuan established Jiangsu Jinyi Chrysanthemum Biohealth Industrial Research Institute to focus on deep processing of chrysanthemums. Their joint efforts have led to the development of various chrysanthemum extract products, including solid drinks, essence, masks, and liquor, which are steadily entering the market.
To facilitate the export of chrysanthemum products, Xuzhou Customs has taken proactive measures, offering guidance on obtaining relevant qualifications and understanding customs processes. Hu mentions, “Our chrysanthemum solid drink has become quite popular, and we’ve received orders from Korean clients. We’re working diligently to complete all export formalities and hope to ship by the end of the year.” He adds that the company aims to further develop chrysanthemum extract-related products for the international market.
In the autumn hues of Pizhou, vast fields of ginkgo trees flourish along the 310 National Road. Known as the “Home of Ginkgo,” Pizhou boasts 300,000 acres of ginkgo cultivation, with its products making their way into the global market.
Ginkgo biloba capsule, powder, and oil… Pizhou continues to enhance its technological innovations, developing over 30 types of ginkgo products containing ginkgo extracts for overseas sales. Jiangsu Baikang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., situated in Gangshang Town, is a high-tech company specializing in research, production, and sales of ginkgo leaf extracts and health foods.
After years of transformation and upgrades, Baikang has become one of the largest producers of ginkgo leaf extracts in China, currently operating three advanced production lines and adhering to high standards for quality control, with an annual output of 200 tons of high-quality ginkgo leaf extract.
“Our customs partnered with us to streamline the export process for ginkgo extracts, enabling our products to reach the international market more proficiently. Moving forward, we plan to expand our overseas sales,” said General Manager Fan Ensheng.
Data shows that in 2016, there was only one company in Xuzhou exporting ginkgo leaf extracts, with an export value of $1.7 million. By 2022, the number of exporting companies rose to six, with export values surging to over $14 million. Today, the number of countries and regions receiving these exports has grown from three in 2016 to 26, spanning Asia, Africa, the Americas, and more.
How can the plant extract industry navigate and thrive in international markets? Xuzhou Customs is guiding enterprises to enhance product quality control and traceability systems, ensuring compliance with import country requirements for raw material acceptance and product testing.
Deputy Customs Chief Sun Liang stated, “Moving forward, Xuzhou Customs will continue to implement various measures to stabilize and improve foreign trade, increasing support for local specialty industries and assisting foreign trade enterprises in promoting unique local agricultural products on the international stage.”
