The 9th Goji Berry Industry Expo opened on June 14 in Zhongning County, Ningxia, showcasing the region's iconic goji berries as they transition from a local specialty to a global health trend. With over 3,000 hours of annual sunlight and mineral-rich soil from the Yellow River and Qingshui River, Ningxia produces what many consider the highest quality goji berries, or wolfberries, in China. The fruit, long treasured in traditional Chinese medicine and listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, is now gaining international recognition as a superfood.
Pan Tai'an, chairman of Ningxia Wolfberry Goji Industry Co., Ltd., explained that all berries are hand-picked due to the plant's simultaneous flowering and fruiting. The company uses only organic compost, avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides, to maintain purity. Despite the labor-intensive harvest, the industry faced two major bottlenecks: the perishability of fresh berries and underdeveloped deep-processing technology. After six years of R&D, Ningxia Wolfberry developed ambient-temperature preservation technology for goji puree, a world-leading breakthrough that allows nutrients like goji polysaccharides, betaine, and zeaxanthin to be retained through a rigorous process of cleaning, pulping, sterilization, and canning within two hours of harvest.
This innovation has produced over 100,000 tons of goji puree, generating sales exceeding 2 billion yuan (about 293 million U.S. dollars), and spurred the construction of 50 high-standard production lines across Ningxia. According to the Goji Industry Development Center of the Ningxia Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ningxia's goji marketing network now covers more than 50 countries and regions. In 2025, fresh goji berry output reached 200,000 tons, with the full industrial chain output value exceeding 21.3 billion yuan.
E-commerce leader Ningxia Qilixiang Goji Co., Ltd., founded in 2009 by three university students with just 700 yuan, has grown into a top-tier brand with annual sales over 1 billion yuan. The company targets younger consumers with blended purees like goji-ginseng and red date-goji, packaged in eye-catching designs. Operating about 200 online stores, Qilixiang consistently ranks first in e-commerce sales for goji products. These high-value-added products, including goji seed oil and juice, now enjoy global demand, with Ningxia goji berries becoming a staple for middle-class families from New York to London.
To meet international standards, Ningxia Wolfberry has held organic certifications from North America, the European Union, and Japan for 21 consecutive years, exporting to 33 countries. The industry is also diversifying into tourism and culture with goji art galleries, history museums, and experience centers, shifting from selling products to selling scenery and culture. This transformation reflects the broader modernization of Chinese agriculture and the innovative drive of its real economy.
