Datong emerging as China's citron daylily hub

Datong Sanli Group is one of the largest citron daylily production and processing enterprises in Yunzhou. Zhao Jiayao, general manager of e-commerce at Datong Sanli, said that the typical flow after flowers enter the processing plant includes weighing, unloading, cleaning, wilting, steaming, drying, selecting and packaging.

After more than two decades of development, Datong Sanli Group has four major factories, establishing a complete citron daylily industry chain encompassing procurement, processing, research and development, logistics, electronic warehousing and tourism.

Its products include dried citron daylily, citron daylily sauce, cakes and beverages. Zhao said that these yellow flower products have become specialty gifts that tourists and online shoppers buy.

The citron daylily processing sector in Datong is showing strong development momentum and Sanli is not the only company that has benefited from the trend.

Yang Qi, head of Datong Huaqingcheng Field Agriculture Development Co Ltd, a local enterprise, said: "We employ over 40 workers all year round and increase the number to over 150 during peak seasons. Our processed products like citron daylily meat sauce and vegetarian sauce have been sold to over 20 provincial capitals nationwide. This year, we expect to sell 600-800 tons of dried citron daylily across the nation."

Many local enterprises are actively engaging in product research and development. Datong Daweihuang Food Co Ltd has developed a series of innovative desserts such as citron daylily cakes, syrup-bursting citron daylily cakes, citron daylily beef cakes and citron daylily croissants. They also launched the citron daylily pre-made self-heating hotpot last year.

An increasing number of young people see hope in the development of the industry and are joining related businesses. Pang Ershun is one of them, who took over from his father and now runs Datong Sanli Group.

Pang fully utilized his familiarity with internet technologies to sell locally produced citron daylily products on e-commerce platforms. He has also signed purchase contracts with many farmers, ensuring a certain amount of purchases per year.

The emergence of new industries driven by citron daylily development goes far beyond the examples discussed above. During summer vacation in Yunzhou, Forget-Worries Farm, an entertainment project encompassing farming and tourism, has attracted many schools and educational institutions for camping. Corporate team-building, tourists' experience of harvesting citron daylily and other projects are popular activities.

Located in Tuofang village of Yunzhou, Forget-Worries Farm was established eight years ago by an economic organization of a local village. It transformed an abandoned greenhouse for its business.

The farm is now collaborating with local universities to establish a research base to find methods to increase the yield and quality of citron daylily, resist diseases and pests, and develop beauty and health products using the yellow flowers' essence as the main ingredient. The farm regularly conducts study tours and leisure activities for families.

Duan Yaping, who is in charge of the farm's operation, said, "By integrating agriculture, culture and tourism, we hope to turn the small yellow flowers into a big industry, increasing the income of local farmers."