In 2025, China's tangerine peel industry is standing at a new starting point of historical development. As a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and modern health consumer goods, tangerine peel has shown a trend of both quantity and quality in foreign trade. From a 45% increase in overseas sales of Xinhui Orange Peel to a total industrial output value exceeding 50 billion yuan, from a 3% reduction in EU tariffs to the comprehensive expansion of cross-border e-commerce channels, Chinese Orange Peel is opening up a new track in the global health consumption wave with geographical indication products as its core competitiveness.
Dried Tangerine Orange Peel, as the first Orange Peel category protected by the China Europe Geographical Indication Agreement, will have its export tariffs reduced to 3% in 2025, directly driving a surge in overseas sales of high-end products. This policy breakthrough not only reduces trade barriers, but also strengthens the authentic value of Chinese tangerine peel. In the Guangdong Pilot Free Trade Zone, the cross-border e-commerce import and export volume in the Nansha area ranks first in the national comprehensive bonded zone, building a digital bridge for tangerine peel enterprises to "buy globally and sell globally". Dongguan, Shenzhen and other strong foreign trade cities have established a full chain support system through a combination of policies such as the "30 Measures to Stabilize Foreign Trade", from customs clearance facilitation to export credit insurance subsidies.
Technological innovation has also become the key to breakthroughs in foreign trade. The three wheel driving model of "geographical indication branding+deep processing technology+capital financialization" formed by the Xinhui Dried Tangerine industry has significantly increased the proportion of high-quality products with Dried Tangerine extract content twice that of ordinary Dried Tangerine. The procurement volume of pharmaceutical companies such as Baiyunshan Chen Liji and Tongrentang has increased by 60%, confirming the international demand for dried tangerine peel in the deep processing fields of traditional Chinese medicine formula granules and health products. The application of modern technologies such as low-temperature extraction and microencapsulation has enabled high-value products such as tangerine peel essential oil and tangerine peel polysaccharides to successfully enter the functional food market in Europe and America.
The upgrading of global health consumption has injected new momentum into China's tangerine peel foreign trade. The market size of Dried Tangerine tea drinks is expected to reach 5.32 billion yuan by 2026, with an average annual compound growth rate of 35.4%. Behind this is the international market's recognition of Eastern health wisdom. In the Southeast Asian market, tangerine peel has been included in the traditional medicinal and edible system, with an annual demand increasing at a rate of 20%; In the European and American markets, tangerine peel extract is widely used as a natural antioxidant and digestive enhancer in dietary supplements and high-end cosmetics. It is worth noting that the price of aged tangerine peel in high-end years over 10 years has exceeded 2000 yuan/jin, an increase of more than 10 times compared to 2014, reflecting the international market's pursuit of scarce resources.
The upgrading of demand structure is forcing industrial transformation. The planting area of Xinhui tea branch citrus has increased compared to 2020, but the enterprise is no longer simply pursuing output expansion, but has shifted towards a "small and beautiful" boutique route. The full process traceability from planting to export is achieved through blockchain technology, and a laboratory for identifying the age of tangerine peel is established. These innovative measures effectively enhance the trust of the international market. On the sales side, social e-commerce platforms such as TikTok Shop have emerged, allowing Dried Tangerine Culture to reach young overseas consumers through short videos, live broadcasts, and other forms.
There are hidden worries behind the opportunities. A large influx of dried tangerine peel from Guangxi, Yunnan and other regions into the international market has led to the emergence of "price wars" in some areas. In response, leading enterprises in the industry have established the "New Hui Tangerine Peel Export Quality Standards" and set up a system of 23 testing indicators for pesticide residues, heavy metals, and other substances to strengthen the quality defense line through standardized construction. In terms of brand building, the collective trademark of "Xinhui Tangerine Peel" has been registered in the European Union and ASEAN, while time-honored brands such as Tongrentang have built an experiential marketing network by acquiring overseas Chinese medicine pharmacies.
Sustainable development has become an industry consensus. Faced with the impact of climate change on citrus cultivation, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences has developed new varieties resistant to pests and diseases, promoted the integration of water and fertilizer intelligent systems, and increased yield per unit area. In the packaging process, biodegradable bamboo fiber materials replace traditional plastic packaging, which not only complies with EU environmental regulations but also conveys Eastern ecological wisdom. What is even more commendable is that by-products such as tangerine peel residue have been developed into pet feed additives, achieving zero waste throughout the entire industry chain.
Looking ahead to the future, China's tangerine peel foreign trade needs to continue to make efforts in three aspects: deepening international mutual recognition of geographical indications and promoting technical standard docking under the RCEP framework; Cultivate independent cross-border e-commerce websites and build private domain traffic pools; Explore the cultural IP of aged tangerine peel and develop innovative formats such as NFT digital collections. When traditional wisdom is deeply integrated with modern technology, Chinese tangerine peel will undoubtedly occupy a more important position in the global health industry map, writing a new chapter of "a piece of tangerine peel connecting the world".
Post time: May-07-2025