Recently, eleven departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) jointly issued a guideline entitled Guiding Opinions about Developing Traditional Food Regions and Local Specialty Industry. The guideline is devoted to the growth of food industry, covering dimensions of agricultural products as raw materials, industry cluster, technical equipment upgrade, and emerging industries and promising business models. More emphasis is given to three areas, namely, demonstration areas for specialty agricultural products, local specialty industry cluster, technical equipment upgrade and process optimization. A number of demonstration areas and industry clusters in Fujian province are selected for prioritized development.

Fujian Mariculture Center, Ningde Breeding Center for Pseudosciaena crocea and abalone, Zhangzhou Agaricus bisporus Center, and Fujian Oolong tea, white tea, and scented tea planting centers were categorized as demonstration areas for specialty agricultural products. Fujian tea, Shaxian snacks, grilled eel, and surimi and algae products were classified as local specialties.

The guideline maps a blueprint for developing traditional food regions and local specialty industries. By 2025, local specialty industry is expected to “be worth a trillion yuan contributed by 10-million-yuan industry cluster consisting of leading companies valued at one million yuan.” More than five traditional food regions will be developed to generate an annual revenue of over 10 million yuan. More than 25 leading companies will emerge, yielding an annual revenue of one million yuan. Good examples will be set about how to build brands of local specialties and snacks that win nationwide popularity.