Guizhou pomelos travel on China-Europe freight trains to Russia

Cengong's Sizhou pomelos are exported to Russia via China-Europe freight trains. [Photo/ddcpc website]

Around 60,000 kilograms of Sizhou pomelos from Guizhou's Cengong county were loaded into a China-Europe freight train in Chengdu on Jan 5, set to arrive in Moscow, Russia, after a 15-day journey.

In 2023, Cengong's Minfeng fruit tree planting cooperative signed an order with Russian merchants for over 6 million kg of Sizhou pomelos, with a total value of $2 million.

Compared to traditional truck transportation, the China-Europe freight trains not only save nearly 20,000 yuan ($2,793.59) in costs, but also shorten the transportation time by about one week.

Sizhou pomelo has a cultivation history of over 20 years in Cengong. With its greenish-yellow color and refreshing fragrance, it is regarded as a superior variety of pomelo.

In November 2022, with the assistance of Kaili Customs, the cooperative completed the necessary export procedures and signed deals with Russian merchants for Sizhou pomelos.

Currently, Cengong's Sizhou pomelo cultivation area measures at 3.11 million mu (2,073.3 hectares), with an annual output of 59,500 metric tons, and an annual output value of 297 million yuan. This has contributed to the steady increase in income for over 1,000 local households.