The attendees were trying to crack hickory nuts.
Highlights
By Fang Jingyi
From Aug 6 to Aug 9, the 2024 China International Tree Nuts Conference and the 2nd Lin’an Nut Food Investment and Trade Fair were held in Lin’an district. This year’s event featured a larger scale and higher participation rate compared to last year. Companies from 14 countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Spain, as well as representatives of foreign institutions in China and leading enterprises in the nut food industry, participated in the conference.
In addition to commonly seen nuts such as pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, and almonds, a variety of nut snacks were showcased at the conference, along with health drinks and cultural and creative products.
The hickory nut industry in Lin’an district has been undergoing an unprecedented industrial transformation. Creative products have not only enriched the consumption forms of hickory nuts but also greatly enhanced the added value and market competitiveness of these products. For example, Lin’an Tuanyuanren Food Company is focusing on developing derivatives of hickory nuts. Currently, they have launched pecan shell pendants crafted with the techniques of Tianmu lacquerware and introduced educational courses that provide enthusiasts with an in-depth exploration of Lin’an hickory nuts.
Moreover, in the exhibition area of the conference, the world’s first AI nut-sorting machine gained considerable interest. This high-tech equipment utilizes advanced artificial intelligence technology to achieve fast and accurate sorting of nuts, operating 24 hours a day and capable of sorting over 200 kilograms of nuts per hour, greatly improving production efficiency and product quality.
The local nut industry in Lin’an has embraced international development opportunities. The local brand Yaoshengji, a participant for the second year, has attracted significant attention and cooperation from domestic and international customers. “From last year to this year, we have seen an increase of more than 1,000 customers. Last year, we produced 1.47 million gift boxes, and this year we have already received orders for about three million gift boxes.” Through the trade fair, the company has established stable foreign trade cooperation relationships with many international enterprises.