Qingtian winter bamboo shoots head to Europe

Workers pack winter bamboo shoots in Qingtian county of Lishui, Zhejiang province, on Jan 11. [Photo/Tide News]

Workers at the European Food Industrial Park in Qingtian county of Lishui, Zhejiang province, were busy packing fresh winter bamboo shoots in a cold storage facility on Jan 11.

A total of 10,240 kilograms are set to be shipped to Europe as the first batch of agricultural exports from Qingtian this year.

To ensure a smooth export process, Lishui Customs provided guidance and oversight throughout, helping establish a traceability system and facilitating clearance via green channels for fresh produce.

The company handling this particular export said the shipment would travel by sea from Shanghai, arriving in Europe in about 30 days — just in time for Chinese New Year.

Qingtian, the hometown of hordes of overseas Chinese in Zhejiang, has been actively exploring new models of trade linked with its diaspora. This successful export marks another important step forward in the internationalization of local agriculture, and opens new income channels for farmers.

The winter bamboo shoots serve as both a specialty product and a cultural bridge, allowing overseas Chinese to enjoy a taste of home while introducing European consumers to local flavors.

According to the European Food Industrial Park, this is the first agricultural export of 2026, with plans to ship more local products such as water bamboo, rice noodles, and waxberries in the future.