Anyue County in southwest China's Sichuan Province is one of the five main lemon-producing bases in the world. Known as China's "lemon capital," Anyue is turning small lemons into a significant business for agricultural modernization, accounting for 70 percent of China's total lemon production, according to data from the county's government website.

On Thursday, the "Lime Model" was certified as a role model for rural revitalization by the China International Association for Urban and Rural Development (CIAD) at a press conference held in Anyue.

Most of the Chinese lemons currently on the export market come from Anyue. In 2007, Anyue Lemon was certified as a Chinese Geographical Indication (GI) and was selected as part of the first group of products under a China-EU GI protection and cooperation agreement.

Lai Caide, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Anyue Committee and the county mayor, stated that Anyue, as China's only commercial lemon production county, is currently in its harvest season. Promoting high-quality development in the lemon industry is essential for increasing farmers' income and boosting rural revitalization and agricultural modernization.

For years, yellow lemons have dominated Anyue's lemon production and export to the global market. As market demand for fresh, high-quality green lemons surges, local farmers have begun increasing production of green lemons with support from the local government, beverage companies, and educational institutions under the "Lime Model" initiated in 2019.

"By educating farmers in lime cultivation and establishing Lime IP, the 'Lime Model' has helped local lemon production set quality standards and incubated lime companies," said Craig Katerberg, chief legal and corporate affairs officer at Budweiser APAC, at the event.

As the "Lime Model" yields positive outcomes in Anyue, this role model has now been replicated in other lemon production bases, including Yunnan Province in southwest China and South Africa.