East-West Collaboration “Land-Based Seafood Farming” Project Launched in Yanyuan

On June 6, the “Land-Based Seafood Farming” project was officially launched in Shiwugu Village, Liangshan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, with the release of over 340,000 shrimp and crab juveniles into standardized breeding ponds. This initiative, part of the East-West Collaboration, marks Liangshan’s first “land-based seafood farming” project and the highest-altitude project of its kind in China.

It is reported that a pioneering "land-based seafood farming" project in high-altitude regions has a total planned area of 1,000 mu (approx. 66.7 hectares), with investment exceeding 100 million yuan. The first phase, covering 100 mu (approx. 6.67 hectares) and costing around 15 million yuan—including 4 million yuan in East-West collaboration funds—has already been completed. The project is expected to begin operations as early as October this year.

With technical support from a team of experts at Ningbo University’s College of Oceanography and investment and operation by Hongri (Zhejiang) Holding Co., Ltd. and other entities, the farm will cultivate blue crabs, Pacific white shrimp, and various shellfish. Annual seafood production is projected to reach 150,000 kilograms.

Unlike traditional seawater aquaculture, the project simulates marine ecosystems using Yanyuan’s unique climate and standardized land-based farming techniques, enabling “inland growth” of seafood like crabs and shrimp. Wang Huan, associate professor at Ningbo University’s School of Marine Sciences and project technical lead, explained, “This project overcomes the reliance on coastal environments and low altitudes by using advanced seawater simulation technology, paving a new path for aquaculture in high-altitude inland regions.”

“This project is a flagship initiative of the 2025 East-West Collaboration, aimed at optimizing Yanyuan’s agricultural industry structure and boosting local incomes,” said Zhuang Qi, Yanyuan County Party Committee Standing Committee member and deputy county magistrate. Once mature, the project will not only produce high-quality seafood and reduce logistics costs but also create approximately 100 direct jobs and indirectly support over 500 jobs.

“The project will initially target markets in Liangshan Prefecture and the Panxi region, with plans to expand to the broader Southwest market in the future,” said Wu Huajun, Southwest regional director of Hongri (Zhejiang) Holdings Co., Ltd.