In the first half of this year, the agricultural and food product exports of Tai'an, Shandong province, exceeded 1.12 billion yuan ($167.16 million), up 22.3 percent year-on-year. Three categories — ice cream and beverages, pet food, and processed foods — all posted strong growth, with ice cream and beverage exports surging nearly 25-fold.

At the Dayao Beverage production facility in Tai'an, bottles of carbonated drinks roll off automated lines. "These are headed to Mongolia. Orders are already booked through September," a company representative said. Exports to Mongolia began in April and have quickly scaled up with customs guidance on labeling and documentation.

Pet food exports also climbed 24.6 percent to 135 million yuan. In Dongping county, the factory of pet food company Green Food was busy packing orders for Indonesia. With step-by-step support from Tai'an Customs, the company secured the required registration and inspection certificates.

Processed foods, including frozen pre-baked bread and bagels, reached markets as far as the Netherlands. "A bread roll that sells for a few yuan at home can fetch about 3 euros ($3.48) in Europe," said Liu Jiao, export manager of Qijia Food.

"Customs helped us adjust to European Union standards — from labeling to microbiological testing. Now we've developed new product lines and orders have multiplied."

To keep perishable goods fresh, customs has set up a green channel with priority inspection and clearance. Going forward, customs will support exports of other local specialties, including Feicheng peaches and Ningyang dates, contributing to rural vitalization and high‑quality foreign trade growth in the region.

The agricultural exports of Tai'an are on the rise — beverages, pet food, and processed foods all posted strong growth. [Photo/Tai'an Daily]