Premier Li urges development of local characteristics industry

2017-01-26
english.gov.cn

Premier Li Keqiang visited the Dounan Flower Market in Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, on the evening of Jan 24.

Premier Li Keqiang urged more efforts in development of the local characteristics industry during a visit to Dounan Flower Market in Kunming, the provincial capital of Southwest China’s Yunnan, on Jan 24.

The Premier’s “sudden visit” brought some unexpected joy to the market ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

All the flower farmers and customers burst into cheer and applause at the sight of Premier Li. After purchasing two bouquets, Premier Li spoke with the farmers and asked them about their business such as flower brands, prices and earnings.

Dounan Flower Market, the largest in Asia, is home to over 1,000 species, with daily turnover of more than 16 million cut flowers worth as much as 13 million yuan ($1.89 million), the person in charge of the market told Premier Li, adding that flowers are sold to major cities in the country, and to 40 countries and regions such as Southeast Asia and Russia.

When asked about the employment situation, he said Dounan Flower Market is used by 290,000 flower farmers, and one farmer employs four to six workers.

“The market creates over one million jobs, so great efforts in developing the local characteristics industry must be highlighted,” the Premier urged the local officials, adding that industrialization doesn’t necessarily mean heavy industry development and that the flower industry is also an eco-industry.

“The first step is to build ‘a big market’ instead of hastily boosting standardization on a large scale,” Premier Li stressed. “Then the product quality will see gradual improvement, and the whole industry will become more standardized during the trading process.”

Premier Li praised the farmers’ hard work that brings joy and spiritual enjoyment to so many people, and encouraged the locals to build the market into the largest one in the world.