People's Forum Online Commentary | "Flower Economy" Blooms in Spring Splendor——"New Economic Vitality" Series Commentary

Tens of thousands of acres of rapeseed flowers surge, Sichuan Peng’an extends the “seasonal flower sea” into an “all-year industry”; the century-old West Lake Flower Market remains fragrant, Guangdong Guangzhou leverages floral scents to connect online and offline popularity channels… The “14th Five-Year Plan” outline proposes developing county-based wealth-increasing industries. Beautiful flowers are paving the way for countless flower farmers to achieve diverse paths to prosperity.

How does this spring scenery shift from “viewing” to “industry”? The answer lies in new consumption trends. Daily self-enjoyment and subscription-based services have significantly increased user scale, with flower buyers enjoying new “blind box” experiences; deepening aesthetic cultivation, Chaozhou Jinshi Town in Guangdong revitalizes traditional carving and floral art, with a 400-year horticultural history creating “landscape art pieces”… With improved appearance and rising output value, the “flower economy” is entering its “spring.”

Consumer enthusiasm drives continuous upgrades on the supply side, making the “flower economy” more technologically infused. Innovation in seed industry relies on local resources, with Yunnan independently cultivating new varieties like the “Jiaolong” rose showcasing Chinese style; production upgrades include smart greenhouses driving quality and efficiency, with 5G IoT enabling “timed blooming”; data-driven approaches utilize blockchain technology for full-process traceability from planting to consumption, and smart flower care apps offer personalized maintenance plans. The nurturing of technological fertile ground allows the “flower economy” to bear more abundant fruits.

According to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, China has become the world’s largest flower producer, a major consumer, and a key trading country. The entire industry chain’s annual output exceeds 520 billion yuan, supporting over 220,000 business entities and tens of millions of farmers’ employment and income growth. Water lilies in Fujian “break out” into new markets, Yunnan camellias integrate into urban life, Guizhou rhododendrons explore new paths of agricultural, cultural, and tourism development… The “flower economy” continues to innovate, blooming along the way.

Connecting beautiful resources with wealth-increasing industries, the eco-industry’s low consumption and high added value extend the flowering period and broaden the flower pathways, becoming an important pillar for county economic transformation and rural revitalization. The path has been found; the key is how to proceed more steadily and further.

Plant “happiness flowers” together for a promising development outlook. Strengthen特色, promote “a thousand flowers, a thousand faces.” Based on resource endowments, plant where suitable and fruit where suitable, develop scientific planning, explore superior varieties and methods, and create highly recognizable and attractive “flower sea IPs,” following the “one county, one flower; one town, one product” approach. Extend the supply chain to keep the “flower economy” blooming year-round. Upstream, build seedling breeding and standardized bases; downstream, develop deep processing, cold chain logistics, and e-commerce live streaming; combine with cultural tourism, research learning, health and wellness industries to convert flower season visitor flow into full industry chain value-added benefits. Enhance branding by maintaining quality, cultural empowerment, unified standards, packaging, and promotion, and effectively use new media to tell “flower stories,” helping high-quality flowers “go out” from secluded places, becoming evergreen drivers of farmers’ income and rural revitalization.

Spring breeze does not disappoint those who strive forward. By making good use of beautiful resources and excelling in “flowers+” articles, the “flower economy” will surely promote comprehensive rural revitalization, making “flowers” bloom more beautifully and more often. (Qiu Weijie)