Grand Opening of 2025 Maoming Litchi Carnival

On May 19, 2025, the Maoming Litchi Carnival commenced with grandeur at the China Litchi Industry Conference Venue. Jointly hosted by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Maoming Municipal People’s Government under the theme “A Bountiful Harvest of Litchi, Shared Celebration Across Land and Sea,” the event gathered global buyers, cultural-tourism experts, representatives of new-generation farmers, and media to witness the vibrancy and cultural allure of Maoming’s litchi industry.

The “Six Unparalleled Strengths” of a Millennia-Old Litchi HomelandAs the world’s largest litchi production base, Maoming solidifies its industry leadership through six unmatched attributes:

Deepest Historical Roots (Cultivation traces to the Qin Dynasty; Tang Dynasty courtier Gao Lishi famously gifted litchis to Imperial Consort Yang Yuhuan);

Vastest Cultivation Area (Over 1.4 million mu/93,333 hectares);

Highest Output (25% of China’s total, 20% globally);

Most Diverse Varieties (80+ commercial cultivars; 700+ preserved in the National Litchi Germplasm Repository);

Premium Quality (4 regional public brands, 16 green-certified products);

Panoramic View of Baqiao Service Area

Most Integrated Industry Chain (A 12-billion-yuan integrated economy spanning farming, processing, and tourism).

The opening ceremony featured a generational theater performance by litchi farmers, while rural livestreamers and agri-entrepreneurs promoted Maoming’s “Five Trees and One Fish” agricultural brands. The municipal government unveiled over 3 million yuan in e-commerce vouchers, partnering with platforms and financial institutions to propel the fifth-anniversary “100,000 Digital Vendors for Maoming Litchi” campaign.

Innovative Sales Models: From Customization to Mystery BoxesBuilding on its 2022 “litchi customization” success, Maoming introduced “litchi mystery boxes” and festive-themed packages in 2025. As of May 19, customized orders hit 79,400 (150 million yuan). A real-time 3D “Global Order Tree” visualized procurement data, reflecting exports to 22 countries/regions (+5 new markets) with a projected 110% export surge.

Technological breakthroughs extended litchi freshness to 30 days, ensuring 24-hour delivery to major Chinese cities. Six entities, including the Guangdong Meteorological Bureau and provincial agricultural authorities, signed cooperative agreements. Logistics giants like SF Express pledged expanded procurement and cold-chain optimization.

Cultural-Tourism Fusion: Reimagining the Litchi HomelandThe carnival debuted “Litchi Heritage Trails” linking ancient orchards like Gongyuan Garden and the China Litchi Museum. On May 20, Baqiao Service Area—China’s first litchi-themed service hub—opened as a landmark integrating transport, agriculture, culture, and commerce.

Designed as a “litchi blossom over water,” Baqiao Service Area’s western complex mimics a dehiscent litchi fruit with curved roofs cradling a glass dome, while eastern structures echo unfolding petals. A skybridge threads through the site like a litchi stem, framing a poetic landscape. Facilities include intangible heritage workshops, farmer livestream studios, and Lingnan-style gardens.

The “Enchanting Litchi Night” gala featured litchi gastronomy, cultural performances, and mass weddings. Historian Yu Gengzhe unveiled the legend of “Consort Yang’s Litchis from Gaozhou,” while master carver Wu Sizhi presented the woodworkLitchi Abundance, embodying millennia of cultural legacy.

New Productivity Forces Fuel Rural RevitalizationMaoming drives litchi value-chain innovation through smart farming, deep-processed products (litchi brandy, ice cream), and blockchain traceability. Over 10,000 e-commerce microbusinesses procure litchi at 10%+ premium prices, uplifting 500,000 farmers.

Litchi

Upcoming initiatives like “Litchi Nights” and expert-led agritourism aim to sustain momentum. Municipal Party Secretary Zhuang Yuequn remarked, “Through the litchi industry, Maoming pens a sweet chapter in rural revitalization.”

EpilogueFrom ancient orchards to global tables, from fields to cultural-tourism synergy, the 2025 Maoming Litchi Carnival epitomizes the “Litchi Capital of China” as a nexus of industrial prowess and cultural pride. Powered by technology and innovation, Maoming’s litchi saga shines as a beacon of agricultural excellence in Guangdong and China at large.