Sturgeon industry showing quick growth
2024-12-02 20:12:05
By Yan Wanqin. Jie Xingwei, Zheng Peng also contributed to this article.
Yichang’s sturgeon industry has experienced rapid development in recent years as the city now has 24 sturgeon breeding companies and nine processing companies, according to the Yichang Aquatic Technology Station, a subsidiary of Yichang Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.
Yichang’s sturgeon industry has experienced rapid development in recent years as the city now has 24 sturgeon breeding companies and nine processing companies, according to the Yichang Aquatic Technology Station, a subsidiary of Yichang Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.
Sturgeons swimming in a breeding pool. Photo by Ma Min.
This year, the total weight of the city's sturgeon in stock exceeded 10,000 tons. Caviar production for 2024 is expected to exceed 180 tons, with the total annual output value of the sturgeon industry approaching 1 billion yuan (US$138 million).
Caviar ice cream. Photo by Ma Min.
Yichang has fostered a complete industry chain centered around sturgeon, including seedling breeding, commercial farming, product deep processing, catering and tourism.
The largest artificial farming workshop at Qingjiang Sturgeon Valley covers an area of 45,000 square meters, highlighting the city's innovative prowess. The breeding base is now home to 1.1 million adult sturgeons and has an annual caviar production capacity of 100 tons.
An aerial view of Qingjiang Sturgeon Valley.
The city is also expanding to broader markets in first and second-tier cities, with sturgeon products now available in high-end retail outlets.
In addition, the city is accelerating the construction of more sturgeon projects to keep up momentum.
The Hubei Xingyi Sturgeon Breeding and Processing Project, slated to release fry in early 2025, has received a cumulative investment of 43 million yuan. Yidu Baihongxi Fisheries has constructed a 3,000-square-meter breeding pond, currently home to 10 tons of female sturgeon. Meanwhile, Zhijiang Huoshankou Farm has built a 7,000-cubic-meter sturgeon factory housing 25,000 high-quality fry.
To raise the visibility of Yichang’s sturgeon industry, Qingjiang Sturgeon Valley and other companies have participated in various exhibitions, such as the World Health Expo and China International Consumer Products Expo.
