China has introduced the China Huili Pomegranate Price Index, a blockchain-powered system designed to enhance transparency, traceability, and digital management in one of the country’s largest fruit-producing regions. The launch took place during the Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival Liangshan Celebration and the 2025 Specialty Promotion – Huili Pomegranate Special Event held in Huili City, Sichuan Province.
The initiative, jointly developed by the Information Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Huili City, reflects China’s broader adoption of blockchain and big data technologies to strengthen agricultural market structures. The system aims to establish a transparent and data-driven pricing model that supports fair trade practices while fostering trust across the agricultural value chain.
Digital Agriculture Gains Ground
Huili, located in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, has evolved into a major production base for pomegranates, boasting a 26,700-hectare plantation and an annual output of approximately 780,000 tons. This volume accounts for nearly 25 percent of China’s total pomegranate production, generating around US$590 million in annual farmer income and a total industry value exceeding US$860 million. The introduction of digital tools is expected to further enhance production efficiency and quality control while reinforcing the city’s position as China’s “pomegranate capital.”
Officials emphasized that agricultural technology is now deeply integrated into orchard operations, signaling a gradual shift toward digital agriculture and intelligent farm management. The blockchain-based system enables comprehensive monitoring of fruit production, trade, and pricing, providing both farmers and buyers with accurate and real-time data.
Blockchain for Trust and Traceability
During the official launch, Wang Xiaobing, Director of the Information Center at MARA, highlighted that the project’s core objective is to foster digital trust in the agricultural sector. Under the “Blockchain + Pomegranate” model, each fruit is assigned a unique digital identity, ensuring that information on its cultivation, grading, packaging, and logistics can be tracked from orchard to consumer. All data is stored on an immutable blockchain ledger, providing traceable and tamper-proof records that address long-standing concerns about counterfeit labeling and misrepresentation in agricultural markets.
Wang further noted that the project effectively transforms Huili’s pomegranate into what he described as the “fruit of wisdom,” merging traditional cultivation with digital monitoring and verification mechanisms.
Structure and Market Function of the Index
The China Huili Pomegranate Price Index comprises three real-time sub-indices, each representing a different stage in the value chain. The Field Price Index monitors prices at the farm level, the Origin Wholesale Price Index tracks wholesale trends at the production sites, and the Sales Wholesale Price Index reflects pricing conditions in major sales hubs nationwide. Each sub-index is categorized by fruit quality—special, first-class, and second-class—to deliver a granular view of market dynamics and regional pricing variations.
For cooperatives, processors, and large-scale growers, the index functions as a decision-making and market reference tool, helping them plan production, manage inventories, and anticipate demand fluctuations. By standardizing price information, the system is expected to improve market predictability and stabilize income for farmers.
Broader Digital Expansion
The Information Center of MARA has previously launched more than 20 similar agricultural price indices for products such as pork, tea, citrus, grapes, and lilies. These digital systems are intended to promote data-driven decision-making, reduce market volatility, and reinforce transparency across China’s agricultural supply chain.
In summarizing the initiative, Wang indicated that the blockchain-linked price index not only strengthens Huili’s pomegranate brand but also enables farmers to extract greater value from their produce. He viewed the system as a glimpse into the future of agriculture, where traditional farming merges with digital innovation to establish verified trust and sustainable growth across the agricultural ecosystem.
