"We are all ready for the opening of the second China International Import Expo (CIIE)," Jiang Mingtao, a ginseng grower in Marathon County, U.S. state of Wisconsin, told Xinhua while sitting in his office, with a silver blue plate commemorating his participation in the first CIIE sitting on the desk.
Three months ago, Jiang was anxious that he would only have a 9-square-meter booth at the upcoming CIIE this year. Today, he is all smiles as he has secured an additional special exhibition zone measuring 36 square meters, four times his exhibiting area in 2018.
"I will bring ginseng liquor, ginseng tea, wild ginseng, ginseng cosmetics and ginseng herbs to the expo," Jiang said ardently. "Several Wisconsin companies will exhibit other Wisconsin agricultural products such as cranberries and cheese together with us."
"We are fully prepared in terms of staffing, product distribution and development to bring Wisconsin agricultural products to the Expo, showing Chinese customers our Wisconsin specialties," he added.
Coming back from the first CIIE, Jiang has expanded his ginseng products series, and become more professional in operation. "We hope to be directly connected with Chinese businesses." That's the experience he has learnt at the first CIIE.
Different from a lack of preparation and haste last year, Jiang has done a lot of planning for the expo this year. "We are going to meet old and new friends from Chinese medical and healthcare circles, as well as procurement people from Chinese provinces and municipalities," he told Xinhua. "It is also an opportunity to exhibit our products and get a hands-on knowledge of the Chinese market."
"We hope to open Chinese market, to bring the best American products to Chinese customers." Jiang admitted that the results may not be immediate due to current trade issues between the United States and China, but the efforts at CIIE will "sprout."
Ever since launching the Marathon Ginseng International Inc. in 2010, Jiang has been attending two to three exhibitions every year. "CIIE is a high-level and professional expo," he said. "There are many worldly famous brands exhibited."
Jiang cherishes the hope that one day his ginseng products will become a brand name in China.
China has a long history of eating ginseng roots, and it is also a world-leading ginseng consumption market. Wisconsin ginseng enjoyed a good reputation in China due to its unparalleled quality in terms of freshness, purity, and taste.
For Wisconsin, the U.S. state is exporting 70 percent to 80 percent of its ginseng products to China. For Marathon County, ginseng production is a leading industry, and there are about 2,000 people out of its population of 150,000 engaging in ginseng growing and production. Ginseng exports are a 30-million-dollar industry for the county.
Based on his experiences from the first CIIE, Jiang suggests that CIIE organizer improve transportation facilities between different exhibiting halls this year. "It is too big, touring between two halls is already tiring."
