As the New Year and the Chinese Spring Festival draw near, vegetable markets across China enter the peak season with stable and sufficient supplies, well-prepared to meet the surging demand during the festive season.
In 2024, China's vegetable production continues to grow steadily. The sown area has expanded by over 800,000 mu (about 53,333 hectares) compared to the previous year, reaching more than 83 million mu. In mid-December, vegetable production exceeded 20 million tons, ensuring ample supply across the country. Choy sum, or Chinese flowering cabbage, is currently in its peak sales season in southern production areas.
Li Yuxiu oversees the operation of a family farm in Zhijiang City in central China's Hubei Province. His farm has a good harvest of choy sum.
"One mu of land yields about 1,500 kg of choy sum, both white and purple. We plant them at different time to ensure harvests in different months," said Li.
Buyers across the country are eagerly sourcing these fresh vegetables for vigorous markets. Tang Yan, who manages a fruit-and-vegetable cooperative in Hubei Province, expressed satisfactory over the pricing and sales of choy sum.
"I buy about 2,000 kg of purple choy sum every day from the farmers. The price is a little bit over six yuan (about 0.82 U.S. dollars) per kilogram. It was higher earlier, about eight to ten yuan. Farmers are happy about the pricing. We don't need to worry about sales as buyers from all over the country wait for goods here every day," said Tang.
In addition to open-field vegetables, vegetable greenhouses also report good yields and are filling up markets with their produce.
Pak choi, or leafy Chinese cabbage, is widely planted in a greenhouse in east China's Jiangsu Province.
"We have 130 mu of vegetable greenhouses here, all growing pak choi. Each crop yields 3,000 kg per mu," said Tang Yongjun, operator of the greenhouse.
On the market side, the sources of goods are being continuously expanded, especially for vegetables from Guangzhou, Yunnan, Fujian and other southern places, which all have sufficient stock.
Wang Ruixian is a merchant at the Shouheng Gaobeidian market in north China's Hebei Province, one of China's largest agricultural wholesale hubs. She has explored new origins of vegetables to ensure consistent supply. "This year, I have expanded my vegetable sources to Honghe and Xundian County in Yunnan Province. I also added special vegetables from Sichuan Province to my list. We can supply more than 200 tons today, over 50 tons above our daily supply volume of previous years," said Wang.
China's vegetable markets well prepared for festive season with ample supply
Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Saturday China is willing to work with Lesotho to strengthen exchanges on governance experience, enhance coordination in multilateral affairs, and advance the China-Lesotho strategic partnership.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Lesotho Prime Minister Sam Matekane in the capital of Lesotho.
During the meeting, Wang congratulated Lesotho on the 60th anniversary of its independence this year, and spoke highly of Lesotho government's efforts to prioritize economic development and steer the African country onto a path of sustainable growth. Since the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2024, the two sides have advanced cooperation under the 10 partnership action plans unveiled at the summit, successfully implementing a number of key projects to effectively promote Lesotho's development and revitalization, Wang said.
China stands ready to work with Lesotho to strengthen exchanges on governance experience, enhance coordination in multilateral affairs, and push for greater development of the China-Lesotho strategic partnership, he added.
Calling on the two sides to firmly support each other, Wang said that China will accelerate the implementation of its zero-tariff policy for African countries, including Lesotho, expand bilateral trade, investment and industrial cooperation, facilitate broader access of Lesotho's specialty products to the Chinese market, and continue to support Lesotho's national development.
China will continue to stand firmly with African countries, uphold justice for the Global South, including Lesotho, oppose unilateralism and acts of bullying, and work together to build a community with a shared future for humanity, Wang said.
On his part, Matekane said during the meeting that Lesotho cherishes its friendship with China and the strategic partnership between the two countries, and expressed gratitude for China's valuable support for the development of African countries, including Lesotho.
Lesotho firmly adheres to the one-China principle and resolutely supports China in safeguarding its core interests, he said, noting that his country stands ready to strengthen strategic mutual trust with China, expand people-to-people exchanges, jointly implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and deepen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, manufacturing and energy.
Matekane stressed that China's zero-tariff policy for African products will inject new impetus into Lesotho's development. He also expressed Lesotho's willingness to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with China on multilateral platforms such as BRICS to jointly address global challenges.
On the same day, Wang also held talks with Lejone Mpotjoana, minister of foreign affairs and international relations of Lesotho.
China, Lesotho to strengthen exchanges, advance cooperation
China, Lesotho to strengthen exchanges, advance cooperation
