Inner Mongolia city riding cash crop wave

In a bid to bring high-quality produce from its volcanic grasslands to consumers nationwide, Ulaanqab in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region is accelerating efforts to build new sales models through the integration of e-commerce and local specialty agricultural commodities.

"This beef jerky is made from free-range cattle raised on the grasslands. It's slow-roasted using traditional techniques, with no preservatives, and delivered fresh from the ranch within 48 hours," a host enthusiastically announces to consumers inside the livestreaming studio of Huoshanyun E-commerce Co, a State-owned ecommerce company in Ulaanqab.

On screen, crispy beef jerky, rich dairy products and premium potatoes take the spotlight, quickly becoming online bestsellers and prompting viewers to place orders.

Feng Zhidong, head of a local flagship online store, said digital channels have sharply boosted sales.

"After launching our online shop, annual sales of beef jerky rose from just over 1 million yuan ($142,000) to between 3 million and 4 million yuan, with online sales accounting for more than 80 percent," Feng said, adding that during shopping festivals like "Double 11", sales volumes may jump to three to four times that level.

Tapping into the region's high-quality cattle resources, Asier Food has carved out a niche in local specialty meat products, focusing on air-dried beef, braised beef and other by-products.

After more than a decade of development, the company now processes up to 1,500 kilograms of fresh beef daily, which is sold through both online and offline channels, the company said.

The growth of the meat industry is also lifting local communities. By establishing stable benefit-sharing mechanisms with two surrounding villages, the company has to date helped 124 low-income households increase their earnings, with the two villages receiving a combined 356,000 yuan in dividends.

Elsewhere, along Zhuozi county's famous "Smoked Chicken Street", rows of freshly cooked, amber-colored chickens glisten as workers quickly pack them for distribution.

"My 20-plus shops can sell more than 2,000 chickens a day in peak season, and both online and offline sales reach several hundred thousand a year," said Zhang Jintao, vice-chairman of the county's smoked chicken association and general manager of Zhang Jintao Smoked Chicken Co.

The product witnessed a surge in popularity following a hit TV program last year, coupled with the rapid rise of e-commerce, propelling Zhuozi's smoked chicken nationwide.

"Nearly 70 percent of our smoked chickens are now sold online through major e-commerce platforms using livestreaming and short-video promotions. Annual sales of smoked chicken and related products can exceed 4 million yuan," said Chen Guoting, general manager of Chen Guoting Smoked Chicken Co.

Last year, smoked-chicken producers in Zhuozi had grown to eight enterprises and 31 workshops, supported by more than 100 sales outlets. Total annual sales reached 3 million chickens worth 220 million yuan, creating over 3,000 jobs and raising the incomes of more than 20,000 people directly or indirectly.

While beef and smoked-chicken producers have built strength through specialization, Yimeng Yimu E-commerce Co has taken a different path, becoming a multisector integrator since its establishment in 2016.

Anchored in "internet + modern agriculture", the company combines crop cultivation, cultural innovation and rural tourism to fully activate regional resources.

Building on Ulaanqab's reputation as "China's Potato Capital", the company manages a 1,500-mu (100 hectares) standardized cultivation base equipped with greenhouses, warming sheds and large storage cellars capable of holding 15,000 metric tons of spuds.

"This ensures rigorous quality control from production to retail," said Guo Chenhui, founder of the company.

Using culture as a value multiplier, the company has also developed volcano-themed homestays and a range of creative products inspired by Ulaanqab's volcanic landscape and grassland heritage.

"During peak season, our rooms are fully booked a month in advance, and last year's revenue exceeded 3 million yuan," said Guo.

In addition, Yimeng Yimu also operates an omni-channel sales network combining offline specialty stores with multiple online storefronts and partnerships with more than 70 regional businesses, supporting more than 1,500 rural households who now receive dividends linked to business growth.

From the nationwide popularity of its potatoes to the growing demand for local specialties, Ulaanqab is using e-commerce to overcome distance and unlock new rural prosperity.

According to its municipal commerce bureau, the city's total e-commerce retail sales reached 2.28 billion yuan from January to September, up 61 percent year-on-year, with rural e-commerce retail alone hitting 1.49 billion yuan, up 73 percent.

Yuan Hui in Hohhot contributed to this story.

lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn