On August 25th to 26th, the inaugural Tomato Festival organized by the China Canned Food Industry Association was grandly held at the Xinjiang Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture Agricultural Expo Park. This event was jointly guided by the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's Department of Industry and Information Technology, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps' Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, and the People's Government of Xinjiang Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture. The Xinjiang Changji National Agricultural High-Tech Industrial Demonstration Zone, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture's Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Xinjiang Laughing Kitchen Food Co., Ltd., and Xinjiang Xinkang Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. assisted in organizing the event.
The event attracted nearly 600 guest representatives, including important figures from the tomato industry from regions such as Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi. Additionally, over ten thousand local residents participated in the event, creating a lively and festive atmosphere. The entire festival was a complete success.
On the morning of the 25th, the opening ceremony of the first Tomato Festival was held in a grand manner at the Agricultural Expo Park. Zheng Min, the Governor of Xinjiang Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, delivered the welcoming speech. She mentioned that the tomato industry serves as a vibrant red calling card for Xinjiang, and Changji is the most important tomato industry base in Xinjiang. As the host of the first Tomato Festival, Changji is truly deserving of this role. She welcomed guests to invest and develop in Changji, to share in the quality of tomatoes, and to collaborate for cooperative development.
Following that, Gao Zhimin, Deputy Secretary-General of the People's Government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Zhang Chonghe, President of the China Light Industry Federation, Wang Xiaju, Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Food and Nutrition Development Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Vice Secretary-General of the National Food and Nutrition Consultation Committee, and Yang Liu, President of the China Culinary Association, delivered their speeches. They all expressed optimism for the positive development momentum of China's tomato industry, high expectations for the high-quality development of the tomato industry, and sincere wishes for the healthy and sustainable development of the tomato product industry, led by tomato canned products.
Subsequently, Liu Youqian, Chairman of the China Canned Food Industry Association, spoke on behalf of the organizing committee. He emphasized that the China Canned Food Industry Association has taken it as its responsibility to promote the high-quality development of the industry. It has shouldered the daunting mission of leading the industry's development and carefully planned and implemented the first Tomato Festival. This celebratory event holds significant importance and far-reaching impact, not only for establishing the status and influence of the China Canned Food Industry Association but also for driving the economic development of Changji Prefecture.
Guo Shunjie, Assistant General Manager and Board Secretary of COFCO Sugar Holding Co., Ltd., and Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of COFCO Tunhe Tomato Co., Ltd., also expressed their willingness to explore the trends and cooperation opportunities in the tomato industry. They aim to make a greater contribution to the economic and social development and rural revitalization of Xinjiang.
During the opening ceremony, Chairman Liu Youqian and Vice Governor Su Xiaoli of Xinjiang Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture exchanged an agreement to jointly build the "China Tomato Capital · Changji," which aims to promote the construction of the Changji Tomato Industry Cluster and drive the coordinated development of the first, second, and third industries in Changji. With the splendid appearance of the first Tomato Festival logo and mascot, eight important leaders and guests jointly pressed the start button, officially announcing the opening of the first Tomato Festival in a solemn and warm atmosphere.
In the afternoon of the 25th, the High-Quality Development Conference of China's Tomato Industry was also held as scheduled. Li Yunde, Director of the Light Industry Department of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, emphasized in his speech the important role that Xinjiang, particularly Changji, plays in promoting the high-quality development of China's tomato industry. He expressed the region's determination and confidence in developing the tomato industry.
During the keynote speeches, Liu Youqian, Chairman of the China Canned Food Industry Association, delivered the first thematic report titled "China's Tomato Canned Industry in Full Swing." He discussed the current state and trends of the industry, as well as the issues it faces. He concluded with six paths for the industry's high-quality development, including enhancing risk resistance, deepening processing, boosting brand strength, improving infrastructure, growing industry clusters, and enhancing industry coordination.
Following that, Su Donglin, Deputy Director of the Institute of Agricultural Products Processing at the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Hu Xiaosong, Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University, detailed the remarkably high nutritional value of tomatoes from a perspective of overall health.
Huang Jiazhang, Director and Chief Scientist of the Center for Plant Food and Nutrition Policy Research at the Food and Nutrition Development Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, praised the contributions of the tomato industry to promoting high-quality agricultural development from the perspective of developing nutrition-oriented agriculture.
Guo Shunjie, Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of COFCO Tunhe Tomato Co., Ltd., delivered a captivating presentation titled "New Momentum for China's Tomato Industry Development." He professionally analyzed the global and domestic development trends of tomato sauce markets, emphasizing the need to capitalize on opportunities, gather momentum, and work in accordance with trends to strengthen and expand China's tomato product industry.
Following that, Wang Yong, Chairman of Xinjiang Laughing Kitchen Food Co., Ltd., gave a speech titled "Tomato Sauce, Drinkable with Boiled Water!" He introduced a new way of consuming tomato sauce to further promote the safety, nutrition, and health aspects of tomato products in an innovative manner.
Finally, Long Wenyan, General Manager of Tmall's Condiment Industry, shared a comprehensive overview of online consumer behavior regarding tomato products, using detailed consumer research data and analysis.
On the whole day of the 26th, the 2023 Tomato Season Production and Sales Analysis Conference was successfully held. More than a hundred enterprise representatives participated in the conference, and the venue was packed with every seat occupied. First, Tang Yunxiang, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Industry and Information Technology of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and Li Yunde, Director of the Light Industry Department of the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, introduced the development of the corps and the autonomous region's tomato industry for the current year. They particularly emphasized the export trade situation and some significant changes.
Subsequently, Li Jian, Secretary-General of the Xinjiang Tomato Product Industry Association, and Zhu Chenhui, Deputy General Manager of COFCO Tunhe Tomato Co., Ltd., successively presented the domestic and international market situation of tomato products in the 2023 production season and the analysis of the tomato sauce production and sales situation. They offered accurate insights into this year's tomato sauce sales market demands, analyzed existing weaknesses, and collaboratively discussed sound strategies for industry development.
Representatives from Xinjiang Xinkang, Italy's ZACMI company, Hualian Can Seamer, Tetra Pak China, and Tetra Laval China shared presentations on topics such as the current production status and research progress of tomato pre-fabricated products, canned and sealing solutions for tomato products, pre-fabricated food development and packaging upgrades from a global perspective, and integrated solutions for tomato processing lines.
Attendees expressed that these insightful contents provided them with substantial gains, offering a clearer understanding of this year's production and sales situation. This knowledge enables better production guidance, prevents blind operations, fosters unity, and promotes collaborative efforts for the upward development of the industry.
After the Tomato Season Production and Sales Analysis Conference concluded, the attending representatives embarked on a company observation and study tour to closely experience the thriving pulse of Changji Prefecture's tomato industry. The visited enterprises included COFCO Tunhe Changji Tomato Products Co., Ltd., COFCO Tunhe Tomato Co., Ltd. Changji Tomato Powder Branch, and Xinjiang Laughing Kitchen Food Co., Ltd. Representatives entered the production workshops, observed the tomato product production process on-site, including tomato sauce, tomato powder, and tomato lycopene. They gained a detailed understanding of the enterprises' development history, production processes, and operational situations. Deep exchanges were held with the relevant personnel of the enterprises about tomato breeding, cultivation, harvesting, and processing.
The inaugural Tomato Festival serves not only as a platform for industry exchange, collaboration, and showcase but also as a grand celebration. In addition to the main events mentioned above, a series of diverse and colorful activities were prepared, including the "Beautiful Life" Tomato Market, Tomato Family Park, Tomato Food Festival, Tomato-themed Music BBQ, and artistic performances. These activities fully demonstrated the unique charm and rich cultural connotations of tomatoes' friendly and joyful nature. They attracted a multitude of local residents to the Agricultural Expo Park to personally experience the delightful taste of tomatoes and tomato products, and to feel the green, nutritious, and healthy benefits that tomatoes bring. People spontaneously spread the dietary concepts and values of tomatoes, allowing people across the nation to recognize the vibrant world of Changji's tomatoes and tomato industry.
The successful hosting of the first Tomato Festival will undoubtedly further enhance the overall understanding of tomato products among consumers and stimulate consumer demand, contributing to creating market excitement domestically and igniting discussions. Furthermore, the successful event will solidify the crucial position of China's tomato product industry in the international market, establish a positive image for China's tomato industry, and expand international influence. In conclusion, the success of the first Tomato Festival responds to the call for expanding domestic demand, effectively promoting the national strategy of dual circulation (domestic and international), and significantly contributes to fulfilling the aspirations of the people for a healthy and beautiful life.