With Cold Chain as the Key to Freshness, Xiangzhou Turns Farm Produce into ASEAN Hot Sellers

The early autumn morning bustle at the Comprehensive Agricultural Product Trading Center in Xiangzhou County, Laibin City, Guangxi, signals a new era of cross-border commerce. Golden corn and vibrant green baby pumpkins flowed seamlessly along the automated sorting line, while pre-cooling equipment released billowing white mist. Several cold chain logistics vehicles, marked clearly with "cross-border cold chain," were poised for departure, ready to transport Xiangzhou agricultural products to the ASEAN market thousands of miles away.

This breakthrough in cross-border sales is a result of Xiangzhou County being designated as a pilot area for the “National Initiative to Promote Cold Chain Storage and Preservation Facilities for Agricultural Products.” Local authorities see the development of the cold chain system as crucial for opening up the ASEAN market and revitalizing industrial growth.

“Previously, our vegetables were only sold to nearby cities and counties, but now, thanks to cold chain logistics, vegetables harvested in the morning can be on the shelves of supermarkets in ASEAN countries by the next day,” said Song Jian, head of Guangxi Xiangtian Trading Co., Ltd. He said that cold chain logistics have allowed Xiangzhou agricultural products to transcend geographical boundaries, significantly expanding their cross-border sales reach.

Song Jian reported that this year, the company exported over 5,000 tons of agricultural products to ASEAN countries, including Vietnam and Thailand, via cross-border cold chain logistics, and projected that annual sales to ASEAN would surpass RMB 100 million. "The ASEAN market has a strong demand for our local corn and baby pumpkins, and cold chain logistics have enabled us to capitalize on this opportunity."

In Juntian Village, Luoxiu Town, extensive digital greenhouses are enjoying a bountiful harvest of Hami melons. Villager Tan Ling is no longer concerned about finding buyers: “Now, we plant according to orders, with the company providing seeds and technical support. After harvesting, the melons go straight into the cross-border cold chain and are sold in the ASEAN market, often at prices significantly higher than in the local market.”

This "fresh" corridor to ASEAN relies heavily on a well-established cold chain system. The associated processing plant boasts an annual processing capacity of 50,000 tons, complemented by cold storage facilities that ensure delicate fruits and vegetables can endure long-distance transport. Through sterilization and vacuum packaging, the shelf life of the vegetables is extended to over seven days, fully accommodating the demands of cross-border transportation.

Luo Ruxing, business manager of Xiangzhou Huitong State-owned Asset Operation & Management Co., Ltd., noted that the company is focused on developing a cold chain logistics network targeted at ASEAN. To date, it has established two dedicated cross-border cold chain routes that deliver products directly to major ASEAN countries, including Vietnam and Thailand. "We are accelerating the import-export interface of agricultural products with ASEAN countries, striving to bring more high-quality Xiangzhou agricultural products to the dining tables of ASEAN consumers."

According to Wei Zaixiong, Deputy Director of Xiangzhou County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, eight varieties of agricultural products from the county are currently exported to ASEAN countries via cold chain logistics. In the first three quarters of this year, agricultural exports to ASEAN countries increased by 7% year-on-year, becoming a new engine for local agricultural income growth.

Local authorities announced that Xiangzhou would fully leverage its geographical advantage facing ASEAN countries by further improving the cross-border cold chain logistics system. Xiangzhou County aims to establish an agricultural product distribution hub connecting Southwest China with ASEAN countries, allowing more high-quality agricultural products to reach ASEAN countries with guaranteed freshness, thereby boosting rural revitalization.