At present, Meihekou City has entered its busiest season of the year. Over 300 local nut processing enterprises engage in deep processing of various pine nuts—including red pine, cedar pine, Huashan pine, and Pakistani pine—as well as walnut kernels and sunflower seeds. The distribution volume of related products accounts for over 70% of the global market, with goods exported to more than 40 countries and regions.
This year is referred to within the industry as a “light year for pine nuts.” Zhang Junhai, General Manager of Haocheng Food Company, explained that although pine nut yields are lower than in bumper years, product prices are approximately 20% higher than in previous years, resulting in relatively substantial profits. “There are significant differences in consumption habits between China and foreign markets. The Chinese market prefers shelled pine nuts, while the international market has a greater demand for pine nut kernels.”
Zhang believes that with the rapid growth of China's baking and high-end catering sectors, demand for pine nut kernels is rising. Companies must balance domestic and international markets while accelerating brand development.
Meihekou, situated at the transition zone between the Songliao Plain and the Changbai Mountain region, serves as a vital transportation hub and commercial center in Northeast China. In the late 1970s, leveraging the premium red pine resources of the Changbai Mountains, locals discovered the “big business opportunity” in “small pine nuts,” evolving from rudimentary hammer processing to modern production.
After nearly half a century of development, Meihekou now produces over 90% of the world's front-end equipment like shelling machines and peeling machines. It has established a complete industrial chain spanning sorting, shelling, drying, roasting, deep processing, and export. Pine nuts sourced from Russia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries are also purchased in Meihekou, processed locally, and then distributed worldwide.
Shuangli Food Company, a leading enterprise in Meihekou, is actively promoting product diversification and building its local brand. According to General Manager Jiang Yuguo, the company is currently expanding its product range and exploring new overseas markets.
According to Meihekou's official plan, the city will deepen collaborations with research institutions like Jilin Agricultural University to develop high-value-added products (such as pine nut oil, pine nut wine, and pine nut beverages), explore comprehensive utilization technologies for pine nut shells, and establish a robust quality evaluation system to further extend the industrial chain and enhance added value. Concurrently, the city will implement the “Meihe Nut” brand building initiative, encouraging enterprises to participate in exhibitions collectively and engage in targeted marketing to elevate global brand influence.
Gao Guangwei, Secretary-General of the Meihekou Pine Nuts (Nuts & Dried Fruits) Association, stated that despite cyclical fluctuations in raw material supply, the stable global market and expanding domestic demand will gradually elevate the industrial chain of Meihekou—the “Capital of the Pine Nut Industry”—to a new stage of development.