Yunnan province, situated in southwest China, has emerged as a significant hub for flower production owing to its distinctive natural and climatic conditions, facilitating year-round flower cultivation.
In recent times, technological breakthroughs have injected new vitality into the cut flower industry within the province. Contemporary agricultural facilities offer precise control over flowering cycles, while advanced cold chain logistics facilitate the delivery of freshly cut bouquets to consumers located thousands of miles away within 48 hours.
Yunnan has established a comprehensive cut flower industrial chain, incorporating flower trading markets and distribution systems that cater not just to China, but also to the broader Asian region. With an annual production of 18 billion stems of cut flowers, the province has maintained its status as China’s leading producer and seller of cut flowers for 28 consecutive years.
At 9 a.m., vivid rows of roses were thriving at a modern floriculture demonstration garden in Kunming, Yunnan’s capital. Managed by Yuntianhua, a chemical products company, this park showcased massive greenhouses equipped with intricate networks of pipes and equipment. These facilities boast sophisticated technologies, including sensors for environmental data collection, adjustable roof panels for light intensity control, films to diffuse light, decay-resistant coconut husks for soilless cultivation, and heating pipes for temperature and humidity regulation.
Lyu Jinlong, the operations director of a Yuntianhua subsidiary, explained the precision involved in the water-fertilizer system. The greenhouse’s advanced irrigation system allows fluids to be applied directly to flower roots. This meticulous approach, guided by high-precision computer controls, ensures optimal conditions for plant growth with reduced energy and fertilizer usage.
Under this intelligent planting mode, flower quality and yield have significantly improved. While traditional methods yield 30,000 to 50,000 rose stems per mu (7.13 hectares), intelligent reforms have boosted this figure to 140,000 stems.
The Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center (KIFA) auction hall bustled with activity at 1 p.m. Over 900 seats were occupied as nearly 1,000 flower brokers concentrated on real-time auction information displayed on electronic screens. These brokers serve as intermediaries between flower suppliers and buyers, distributing flowers across China after auctions.
Approximately 5 to 6 million cut flower stems are auctioned daily, with transaction values exceeding 4.5 million yuan ($625,495). The KIFA evaluates all flowers and maintains open and transparent pricing.
Zhu Qi, the business planning lead of KIFA, noted that more than 3,000 varieties of cut flowers are entering both the domestic and international markets.
The Kunming Dounan Flower Market, home to KIFA, stands as China’s sole national-level flower market. In 2022, its trading volume reached nearly 11.04 billion stems, contributing to a total transaction value exceeding 12.14 billion yuan.
The advent of improved cold chain logistics systems has significantly reduced flower retail prices by reducing logistics costs. Now, over 80 percent of flowers are transported via land-based cold chain networks, in contrast to the past when 90 percent were shipped by air. The Yunnan branch of SF Express plays a vital role in fresh flower logistics, offering rapid air and land transportation to numerous cities.
With these advancements, Yunnan’s cut flower industry is not only flourishing domestically but also making its mark on the global stage.
