Major greenhouse for growing roses
( 2001-05-17 15:05 ) (8 )

Pingyin County in east China's Shandong Province, known as the country's greenhouse for rose growing, is to build a breeding lab for quick cultivation of roses in an attempt to aggrandize rose output.

The purpose of the lab, to be jointly established by the Genetics Institute of China's Academy of Sciences and the government of Pingyin County, will help promote the rose industry, said Sun Jigang, head of the county.

Sun said that the growing of roses in Pingyin, which started about 2,000 years ago, is famous throughout the country for its unique style and excellent quality.

The county yields 2,000 tons of roses and four million seedlings annually, which accounts for 23 percent of the domestic market share. Each year, hundreds of tons of Pingyin roses are exported to Japan, Singapore and other overseas markets.

The county is targeting the international market, which has a yearly demand believed to reach 10,000 tons, and will try to become the largest rose growing base in the world, said Sun.

The local administration will offer efficient services as well as preferential policies for the enterprises, Sun said.