The pomegranate processing sector in Yicheng, a district of Zaozhuang City in Shandong Province, recorded an output value of US$579 million in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 15.6 percent.
Yicheng has about 6,666 hectares of pomegranate cultivation with 56 species grown. The district is also home to more than 20,000 trees over 100 years old. Local authorities have placed the development of the crop at the center of rural revitalization strategies, resulting in a growing processing industry.
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According to Liu Haoran, head of the Wanglaoji Pomegranate One Health Industrial Park in Yicheng, the park operates under a "company + cooperative + farmers" model, which establishes stable sales channels and technical support. More than 1,000 fruit farmers are part of this framework. The park has collaborated with 28 domestic and foreign research institutions to develop automated processing lines. Products include NFC pomegranate juice and pomegranate-lime compound juice, with a daily capacity of 750,000 cans. In 2024, the park's sales revenue reached US$45 million with an output value of US$56 million.
Liu noted, "Pushing forward further extension of the deep processing industry of pomegranate is one of our goals beyond sales."
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There are now 20 enterprises engaged in pomegranate deep processing in Yicheng, producing nearly 200 different products. These range from beverages to cosmetics, health products, and even a veterinary drug.
The district is also establishing platforms to support industry growth. A national pomegranate germplasm resource bank has been created, while work has begun on a comprehensive pomegranate trading center and a high-quality planting demonstration garden.
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