Rose industry leads rural town toward prosperity

In the picturesque town of Meigui (Rose) in Pingyin county of Jinan in East China's Shandong province, a remarkable transformation has taken place. Leveraging its many roses, the town has emerged as a trailblazer in rural vitalization.

Meigui town produces approximately 12,000 metric tons of fresh roses annually, with a rose cultivation area exceeding 2,000 hectares. It has been honored as the "Hometown of Chinese Roses" by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration and the China Flower Association and designated a demonstration town for rural vitalization in Shandong.

In 2017, Pingyin county invested 460 million yuan ($63.6 million) in the building of a high-end Rose Industrial Park, elevating the technological and capital thresholds for rose processing. This strategic move has led to the continuous emergence of new products and techniques, extending the rose industry and value chain towards the high-end market.

In recent years, Meigui town has firmly embraced the concept of integrated tourism development, continuously expanding and deepening its tourism formats. It has established a rural revitalization demonstration area, a pastoral complex, and a rose town, creating a comprehensive tourism sector with a focus on landscape tourism, ecological tourism, and health-oriented vacationing.

This integration has propelled the fusion of the local rose industry with culture, tourism, and health, making the rose a pillar industry and distinctive brand for increasing agricultural incomes and rural prosperity.