Ningbo herbal products expand overseas markets

A workshop at Ningbo Herb-X-Space Health Technology. [Photo provided by Ningbo Herb-X-Space Health Technology]

From raw ingredients to finished products, companies in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, are upgrading their herbal exports to meet growing overseas demand for natural health products.

At Ningbo Herb-X-Space Health Technology, production equipment extracts and concentrates plant materials such as goji berries, poria cocos, and American ginseng into standardized extracts for shipment to European markets, including the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.

Founded last year, the company initially focused on supplying plant extracts to manufacturers of food and dietary supplements. However, overseas customers are increasingly seeking finished products tailored to specific formulas and dosage forms, prompting the company to integrate extraction, formulation, and manufacturing.

In the third quarter of this year, the company's exports reached 2.49 million yuan ($371,660), a quarter-on-quarter surge of 1,920 percent.

To support the sector's expansion, Yinzhou Customs, under Ningbo Customs, has strengthened guidance on raw material inspections, production controls, finished-product testing, and labeling requirements, while streamlining inspection and certification procedures.

Yinzhou district exported 29.49 million yuan worth of plant extracts from January to August, up 22.05 percent year-on-year, with exports of plant extracts through Ningbo's ports of entry totaling 421 million yuan over the same period.

By improving product quality, manufacturing flexibility, and regulatory compliance, Ningbo companies are moving up the value chain and strengthening the global presence of Chinese herbal products.