KUNMING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) – A palpable sense of excitement fills the air at the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center in southwest China’s Yunnan Province, where the bustling flower market sets the pace for the day’s trade. Large screens flash with shifting prices for fresh-cut flowers, while auctioneers make rapid decisions, sending flowers on their way to destinations both within China and across more than 50 international markets.
The Dounan flower market, located in Kunming, has become Asia’s largest fresh-cut flower trading hub, with an average daily transaction volume reaching 6 million stems, according to official data. The market’s growth reflects the broader development of China’s flourishing flower industry, which plays a vital role in the global flower trade.
For local flower growers like Yang Tao, the transformation of Dounan is deeply personal. A second-generation grower, Yang delivers 2,000 bundles of flowers to the market each afternoon, continuing a tradition that began in 1983, when Dounan residents first started planting flowers. By the 1990s, commercial cultivation had taken root, with farmers initially selling flowers on the 50-meter-long “Dounan flower street.”
Since those humble beginnings, Dounan’s flower trade has expanded rapidly. In 1999, China’s first professional flower-trading market was established in Dounan, marking a turning point for the region. Today, seven out of every ten fresh-cut flowers in China originate from Dounan, underscoring its dominance in the domestic market.
The market’s impact is not just limited to flower trading. Dounan has developed into a comprehensive hub for trade, logistics, financial services, and big data related to the flower industry. The region also serves as a popular destination for flower tourism, drawing visitors from across the country.
As China solidifies its position as the world’s largest flower producer, with 1.5 million hectares dedicated to flower cultivation and over 5 million people employed in the industry, the future looks promising. A joint guideline issued by China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs projects that annual sales in the country’s flower industry will reach 300 billion yuan (about $42 billion) by 2025, and surpass 700 billion yuan by 2035.
Innovations in cultivation techniques are helping to drive this growth. “Advanced technologies and smart irrigation systems have revolutionized how we grow flowers,” said Yang Tao, explaining how his team of four can now manage 1.3 hectares of rose fields. During peak seasons, Yang sells up to 140,000 roses in a single day, benefiting from soaring demand.
The flower industry’s success is also boosting other sectors in Dounan. According to Qian Chongjun, executive president of Yunnan Dounan Flower Industry Group, the region’s thriving flower trade has established partnerships with 49 logistics companies, 12,000 brands, over 10,000 brokers, and 350,000 wholesale markets and flower shops across China.
This economic ripple effect is evident in the surrounding areas, where growth in logistics, financial services, and tourism is creating a vibrant regional economy. For many, like Yang, the flourishing industry is a source of both financial stability and personal satisfaction.
“My life has improved significantly thanks to the flower business,” Yang shared, recently investing in a refrigerated truck and hiring a driver to keep pace with his expanding operations. For him and many others, Dounan’s thriving flower market is not just about beautiful blooms—it’s about opportunity and prosperity.
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