Dounan flower market blooms as Asia’s floral hub

Beijing: The Dounan Flower Market, the largest fresh-cut flower trading market in Asia, continues to bloom with success. Located in Kunming, Yunnan province, this vibrant market saw a 5% increase in flower transactions last year, reaching 14.18 billion stems. In 2024, the market recorded a total transaction value of 11.57 billion yuan ($1.61 billion). For 25 years in a row, Dounan has led China in both flower trade volume and value, solidifying its reputation as a global floral powerhouse.

Dounan is not only the biggest flower market in Asia but also the second-largest in the world. Flowers from this market reach every part of China and over 50 countries, including Japan and Thailand.

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Flower cultivation in Dounan began in 1983, and by the 1990s, local farmers turned it into a commercial success. In 1999, China’s first professional flower trading market was established here. Since then, the industry has flourished, with Dounan now supplying 70% of all fresh-cut flowers in China.

China itself has become a global leader in the flower industry. With about 1.5 million hectares of land used for flower cultivation and over 5 million people working in the sector, the country is now the world’s largest flower producer.

The Chinese government has set ambitious goals for the flower industry. According to a new guideline from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China aims to reach 300 billion yuan in annual flower sales by 2025. By 2035, this figure is expected to exceed 700 billion yuan.