Oysters from Yueqing

Oysters from Yueqing

　　Oysters from Yueqing are a specialty of Qingjiang Town, Yueqing City, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. Located to the east of Yueqing Bay, Qingjiang Town boasts ideal conditions for oyster farming. Yueqing’s Qingjiang Town is known as the “Oyster Capital of China.”

　　Qingjiang Town is rich in marine resources and has a long history of oyster farming, serving as a national pilot base for oyster cultivation. In 1979, Pacific oysters, first introduced to China from Japan, were successfully trial-farmed in the waters of Qingjiang. At the same time, new three-dimensional farming methods such as rack culture were introduced, offering significant advantages over traditional techniques. This enabled rapid development of the oyster industry, which was subsequently promoted to coastal provinces across the country. Additionally, Qingjiang successfully developed fully artificial oyster seedling breeding technology and locally distinctive storm-resistant longline hanging culture techniques. These innovations greatly expanded the farming area into the outer sea regions of Qingjiang, fundamentally altering the oyster population structure. The larger and higher-yield Pacific oyster became the dominant species in Yueqing Bay. Centered around oyster production, Qingjiang Town established an Oyster Farming Association and built a relatively complete industrial chain integrating seedling production, processing and cold storage, product transportation and storage, scientific research, brand promotion, and industry association management. In 2004, the town had an oyster farming area of 10,500 mu, with an annual output of 19,000 tons, generating a production value of 35 million yuan, accounting for 52% of the town’s total fisheries output value.