Jinan Start-up Area builds farm-to-market chain for local produce

Updated: Sep 8, 2026 english.jinan.gov.cn Print

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Watermelon seedlings from Jinan are traveling more than 2,000 kilometers to Hainan province, fresh vegetables are making their way to Haidilao hotpot restaurants, and dried figs from local farms have already reached consumers in Hong Kong.

These products are part of an emerging agricultural value chain in Taiping subdistrict of the Jinan Start-up Area for Growth Drivers Transformation, which links seedling cultivation, sorting, and marketing under the brand "Taiping Youpin".

Launched in 2025, the brand aims to connect scattered agricultural operations with larger markets through unified branding and quality standards.

The chain begins with seedlings. At a seedling base in Xiaolanzhuang village, 10 high-standard greenhouses produce 30 million to 50 million seedlings a year. The facility, which began operating in 2023, uses an order-based model, producing varieties and quantities according to demand. It works with watermelon breeding experts to introduce varieties better suited to local conditions and market demand.

Further along the chain, a smart sorting center in Wanglujia village is helping connect local growers with major retailers and restaurant chains. It currently handles about 25 metric tons of premium vegetables a day, with capacity expected to reach 75 tons when fully operational. The project is expected to create about 400 direct jobs and bring more than 2,000 mu (133 hectares) of surrounding farmland into its contract-farming network.

Local growers are also finding new markets for specialty produce. Qin Cuiping, one of Taiping subdistrict's early fig growers, has expanded her farm to 20 mu and this year brought her homemade dried figs to Hong Kong as part of a Shandong promotional event.