A freight train carrying seeds departs from Jiuquan for Italy via the new western land-sea corridor rail-sea linkage on Dec 24, 2025. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A freight route linking northwestern China with Europe began operating carrying hundreds of metric tons of agricultural seeds from Gansu province on Dec 24.

The inaugural train left a railway logistics hub in Jiuquan, transporting 24 containers of vegetables and flower seeds bound for Italy and the Netherlands via China's western land-sea corridor. The route provides an alternative export channel for inland regions, connecting rail services with maritime transport to reach European markets.

Officials said the corridor shortens transport time and reduces costs compared with traditional routes, boosting the competitiveness of Chinese seed exports and supporting agricultural cooperation with countries involved with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Jiuquan has stepped up cross-border freight services in recent years, expanding links to markets in the Americas, South Asia and Central Asia. Official data shows that in 2025, six rail–sea intermodal trains carrying 101 containers of local products were dispatched from the city.

The shipments, totaling 2,078 metric tons and valued at nearly 200 million yuan ($28 million), reached more than 10 countries, including the Netherlands, Italy and Uzbekistan.

To ensure smooth departures, Jiuquan Customs introduced a 24-hour appointment-based inspection system, allowing on-site inspection, sampling and testing at an early stage. Additional measures such as centralized inspections for small-batch cargo and online issuance of export certificates, have reduced paperwork and processing time.

"The launch of this freight service reflects close coordination between customs authorities, the local government and businesses," said Weng Huanmin, director of Jiuquan Customs. He added that services would continue to be streamlined to help more agricultural products from Gansu reach overseas markets.

Jiuquan and neighboring Zhangye, both located along the historic Hexi Corridor, are among China's key seed production areas. The region's climate and geographic conditions support stable yields, high germination rates and consistent quality, local authorities said.

According to its commerce bureau, Zhangye recorded vegetable and flower seed exports worth 180 million yuan in 2024, with export levels remaining broadly stable in 2025. Products include tomato, pepper, eggplant, bean, cabbage, radish, lettuce, melon and watermelon seeds, as well as China aster seeds. Major export markets include the Netherlands, the United States, France, Germany, Spain, Turkiye, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

Wu Duozhi, general manager of Zhangye Ruizhen Seed Co, said the company has maintained steady growth despite a complex global trade environment. Exports from the company were valued at about 18 million yuan in 2025, up 38 percent year-on-year, with the Netherlands remaining its largest market. South Korea, Italy and the United States were also significant destinations.

"All of our exports last year were vegetable seeds," Wu said, adding that flower seed shipments were temporarily affected by tariff-related factors. He said orders from European clients are expected to recover this year.

Beyond seeds, Zhangye is also exporting highland summer vegetables. The city has developed some 667 hectares of export-oriented vegetable bases, producing roughly 21,000 tons annually. Some of the output is processed into freeze-dried vegetables for European markets, while exports of fresh vegetables and vegetable and flower seeds total about 500,000 tons a year.

Contact the writers at huyumeng@chinadaily.com.cn