A four-season pomelo grows in Mazhan town, Cangnan county, Wenzhou. [Photo/The official news website of Wenzhou]
Mazhan town in Cangnan county, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, has achieved a milestone: the local four-season pomelo (Citrus maxima) cultivation base and packaging facility have passed Wenzhou Customs' assessments, gaining official export approval.
This marks a crucial step for Cangnan, known as "China's four-season pomelo town", in its quest to enter international markets.
Lin Nianjiang, Party secretary of Zhongkui village, said that to capture the high-end overseas fruit market, the county's agriculture and rural affairs bureau and Mazhan town designated an orchard in the village last year. Developed to international standards, this orchard builds on the village's reputation for high-quality pomelos. However, meeting export standards required significant changes in management.
Standardization is key. With experts guiding improvements in agricultural material control, quality testing, and infrastructure, the base has adopted unified fertilization, pest control, and management practices.
A comprehensive quality assurance chain is also now in place. "Both cultivation and packaging have received customs approval, clearing major export hurdles," said Wu Deqiang from the Cangnan agriculture and rural affairs bureau.
The first export batch is scheduled for this winter, when the pomelos enter the harvest season, and will be shipped to New Zealand. Wu added that Wenzhou natives in New Zealand have long been eager to enjoy the pomelo from their hometown. "With dual certification, we can finally make it happen."
