CHONGQING — Technology is changing the once sluggish market for lemons, transforming the zesty fruits into sought-after commodities.

With an annual yield of 330,000 metric tons from 21,000 hectares of lemon groves, the sector is a pillar of Tongnan district in Chongqing.

At Chongqing Huida Lemon Technology Group, lemons are processed into over 300 varieties of products, spanning cosmetics, fruit teas and a wide range of foods.

"We've come to realize the significance of deep processing for lemons," said Xu Xiaoling, the company's deputy general manager. "In some years, many lemons were unsold, especially those that aren't visually appealing."

She added that Huida has made significant investments in research and development, and their advanced deep-processing technology can consume over 200,000 tons of lemons each year.

"Last year, due to droughts, about 20 percent of my orchard's output consisted of 'ugly' lemons. Previously, these would have been discarded, leading to substantial income losses," said Chen Yu, an orchard worker in Tongnan. However, last year, all 400 tons of lemons from his orchard were purchased by local enterprises, boosting his income by more than 1 million yuan ($140,000).

Deep processing not only addresses the issue of unsold lemons but also significantly enhances their value.

Fresh lemons are subject to significant price fluctuations, with the lowest price dropping below one yuan per kilogram. In contrast, Huida's freeze-dried lemon slices cost about 50 yuan per kg. A set of five facial masks infused with lemon essence can be priced at around 600 yuan, according to Xu.

Other enterprises in Tongnan are also utilizing every part of the lemon.

The production line at Chongqing Mengtai Biotechnology produces lemon juice and slices and extracts pectin from lemon peels.

"Pectin is a crucial raw material widely used in pharmaceuticals, yogurt and fudge," said Liu Yancheng, vice-president of the research and development department at Mengtai. "However, this important material has long relied on imports."

To change the status quo, the company has assembled top talent in the field from across the country, some of whom have dedicated over 30 years to relevant technologies. Together, they have established a new production line that can process 100,000 tons of lemons annually and produce 2,000 tons of pectin.

Mengtai further extends the industry chain by creating popular products such as gummy candy and lemon oil from the distilled essence of lemons. "We currently offer 63 products for businesses and around 20 products directly for consumers," Liu said.

Currently, there are 32 lemon processing enterprises in Tongnan. According to local authorities, experts have developed over 400 deep processing technologies for lemons and secured more than 30 national invention patents over the years.

Fu Qiang, director of Tongnan's lemon industry development station, said that they plan to collaborate with other research institutions to cultivate lemons with higher vitamin C content. They are also leveraging drones and digital technologies to enhance the efficiency of lemon cultivation, processing and sales, which is expected to further assist local farmers and enterprises in improving productivity and reducing labor costs.

As Tongnan's processing capabilities expand, the annual output value of lemon-related industries in the district has exceeded 7.5 billion yuan, helping create 100,000 jobs.

"Technological innovation is a key driver of our district's agricultural development. The increasing application of technology is instrumental in advancing agricultural and rural modernization, enhancing farmers' livelihoods and promoting rural vitalization," Fu added.

Xinhua