Plateau roses from northwest China blossom onto global stage
Kushui rosesin Kushui Town of Yongdeng County, Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province on May 8, 2025. – Xinhua photo
LANZHOU (June 13): Nestled in the barren Loess Plateau, the small town of Kushui in northwest China's Gansu Province bursts into a sea of vibrant roses every mid-May.
Kushui Town in Yongdeng County is one of China's leading rose-producing regions, with a cultivation history dating back more than two centuries.
'The Kushui rose requires low-intense labor, being highly resistant to drought and cold, which makes it perfectly adapted to thrive here,' said Xu Dahong, deputy director of the county's rose research institute, adding that the flourishing rose industry has played a vital role in boosting the local economy.
As a selenium-rich variety, Kushui roses boast a higher oil-extraction rate than many other types.
The precious essential oil has become a coveted ingredient in global cosmetics, perfumes and food products.
It has not only been incorporated into numerous domestic cosmetic brands but also exported to countries including Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Australia, France and the United States.
'Our distillation techniques, enhanced by digital controls, guarantee world-class quality standards,' said Ba Cunli, head of a local rose essential oil manufacturer.
Ba's company sells rose-infused skincare products primarily through e-commerce channels, with online sales accounting for 70 per cent of total revenue.
Where ancient traditions meet modern innovation, Kushui roses – once preserved in salt – now flourish through cold storage technology, enabling year-round production, according to Ba.
Flower cakes with edible roses inside in a workshop of a company in Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province on May 8, 2025. – Xinhua photo
Beyond essential oil extraction, the roses find a wide application as food flavoring and form the foundation of an increasingly diversified product line.
'The sweet, nutrient-rich petals are rich in anthocyanins and vitamin C,' said Shi Xiaochang, founder of a local rose-processing company.
With annual revenue exceeding 20 million yuan (about US$2.77 million), Shi's firm has developed more than 100 rose-based products, including beverages, flower cakes, wine and tea – helping boost the incomes of nearly 2,000 local households.
Today, Kushui Town cultivates roses across 21,000 mu (about 1,400 hectares) of land, with average yields reaching 400 kg per mu, and has 27 rose processing enterprises, according to Ye Chenglong, Party secretary of Kushui Town.
Expanding to the entire county, rose plantations now cover 101,600 mu. Annual production of fresh roses reaches 28 million kg, yielding 1,200 kg of essential oil, 2.6 million kg of dried flower buds, and 1,500 tonnes of rose jam – with the output value of the entire rose industrial chain reaching 2.8 billion yuan.
A local woman picks Kushui roses in Kushui Town of Yongdeng County, Lanzhou, northwest China's Gansu Province on May 8, 2025. – Xinhua photo
Yet this ambitious town continues pursuing higher-yield, longer-blooming rose varieties in a bid to strengthen the rose industry and further increase farmers' incomes.
'We are striving to create a flagship product that will enhance the popularity of Kushui rose and reinforce the entire industrial chain,' Ye added. – Xinhua China Kushui Loess Plateau ROSE Xinhua
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Hygiene woes swamp Gelang Patah
Pandak at the state assembly sitting raising his constituents' concerns about safety and cleanliness. LACK of cleanliness and the presence of foreign workers in shoplots in Gelang Patah can tarnish the area's image, says a Johor assemblyman. Speaking at the state assembly sitting, Datuk Pandak Ahmad (BN-Kota Iskandar) said quick action was needed to ensure the area remained clean, safe and comfortable for residents. 'Many of the three-storey shophouses near an industrial park in Tanjung Pelepas, Gelang Patah, have been turned into foreign workers' accommodation. 'The area could be labelled as a 'little Bangladesh town' due to the presence of these foreigners. 'Some of these foreigners are even operating sundry shops without valid licences,' Pandak said in his speech during the debate session of the state assembly meeting at Bangunan Sultan Ismail in Kota Iskandar. He expressed hope that the Labour Department, Iskandar Puteri City Council and related agencies would address these issues because rubbish strewn in the back alleys of the shoplots had become a common sight. Separately, Tan Eng Meng (BN-Pekan Nanas) in his speech thanked the state government for not sidelining Pontian in development plans. He was glad that serious attention had been given to districts such as Pontian, where his state constituency is located, rather than just focusing on economic developments only in areas such as Iskandar Malaysia and Pengerang. 'One of the significant developments in Pontian is the Tropicana Industrial Park in Pekan Nanas, involving a major investment of RM2bil by Alton Industry Ltd Group. 'This development will create new job opportunities for locals and strengthen the industrial sector that forms the backbone of the district's economic development. 'In fact, the presence of this new facility, which functions as a research and development hub, marks a major leap for Pekan Nanas,' said Tan. Alton is a US-based global supplier of consumer and commercial tools, appliances and floor care. Tan pointed out that the project had opened up vast opportunities for local talents to develop their potential in the high-tech field, which was becoming increasingly vital.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Oil settles lower on new Iran-related sanctions
Brent crude futures settled down US$1.84, or 2.33%, to US$77.01 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude for July was down 21 cents, or 0.28%, at US$74.93. HOUSTON: Oil prices settled down on Friday as the US imposed new Iran-related sanctions, marking a diplomatic approach that fed hopes of a negotiated agreement, a day after President Donald Trump said he might take two weeks to decide US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. Brent crude futures settled down US$1.84, or 2.33%, to US$77.01 a barrel. Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters. RM12.33/month RM8.63/month Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters. Free Trial For new subscribers only
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Wirtz wants to 'win everything' for Liverpool after record move
LIVERPOOL: Florian Wirtz said he wants to win it all at Liverpool after completing a blockbuster move from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, which could reportedly rise to a Premier League record fee. Reports in England said the Premier League champions will pay an initial £100 million (US$134 million) for Wirtz, comfortably surpassing their own record outlay, with a further £16 million in performance-related add-ons making it a British record deal. However, German media suggested the fee could be even higher, starting at 130 million euros (£111 million, US$149 million) with add-ons taking it to 150 million euros. One of European football's elite young stars, Wirtz has been hailed as one of the "best in the world" by former Leverkusen coach and ex-Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is the new boss of Real Madrid. "I would like to win everything every year!" Wirtz told the club's website. "In the end, we want to be successful. Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I'm really ambitious." The 22-year-old played a crucial role in Leverkusen's greatest season as they claimed a first-ever Bundesliga title and the German Cup in 2023/24 without losing a single game under Alonso. Their only defeat that season, during which Wirtz was crowned Bundesliga player of the year, came in the Europa League final to Atalanta, denying Leverkusen a memorable treble. Bayern Munich restored their grip on the German game last season, with Leverkusen a distant second, and Wirtz is joining an exodus from the BayArena. Netherlands defender Jeremie Frimpong has already made the move from Leverkusen to Liverpool last month. "I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me," added Wirtz, who turned down the option of joining Bayern for the move to England. "This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League." After largely keeping their powder dry in the transfer market during Arne Slot's first season in charge, the Reds are splashing out to strengthen a side that romped to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is poised to make the move to Anfield in a £40 million deal. Liverpool have also been linked with Newcastle striker Alexander Isak and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. Where Wirtz's fits into Slot's plans remains to be seen. He largely played behind a central striker at Leverkusen and has operated from a wider role for Germany. A return of 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 games for Leverkusen is evidence that he carries a threat both as a creator and a goalscorer. "The people say I'm a creative player, and I hope I can bring this creativity to the team and also the joy on the pitch," said Wirtz. "I try to make assists, goals and run for the team to defend. I hope I can just make the team one step better." Liverpool are already blessed with an abundance of forward options, with Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo all offering a goal threat. However, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa now face even stiffer competition to get into Slot's starting line-up, raising the prospect of Liverpool selling some of that trio to free up further transfer resources.--AFP
