On July 26, the second Kunming Chestnut Festival was inaugurated in Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County. It is learned that the chestnuts growing industry develops the rapidest in Kunming in recent years. By 2018, the chestnut growing area in Kunming reached 594,700mu, with annual yield of 82,900t and annual output value of RMB 831 Million.

As introduced by person in charge of Kunming Forestry and Grassland Administration, Kunming has a long history for chestnut growing. The chestnuts are mainly grown in Luquan, Yiliang, Fumin and Xundian Hui Autonomous County, in which Luquan is the county with the largest chestnut growing area and the highest yield in Kunming. The chestnut growing area is 262,000mu with yield of 32,000t and output value of RMB 320 million. For years, Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County has attached high importance to development in chestnut industry, and always focused on chestnut industry as the key industry accelerating poverty alleviation and driving economic growth of the county. Since 2016, the county has accumulatively promoted among 6828 filed poverty-stricken households to grow 18,000mu chestnuts, improved quality and enhanced efficiency for over 4000mu and realized RMB 2157 Yuan per capita income growth of filed poverty-stricken households.

In addition, owing to the unique geological, climate and soil conditions, Luquan produces pest-free sweet chestnuts coming to market the earliest and with the best quality in China. During July to October every year, traders from Southeast Asian countries and developed provinces and cities in China are attracted to Luquan to buy chestnuts here.

During the festival, well-known experts and representatives of chestnut enterprises in Yunnan and other provinces surveyed Luquan forest products trade market, special chestnut growing park and chestnut processing. Yunnan Province Chestnut Industry Forum will be held during the festival.