Snow pears grown in Yunhe county of Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

A batch of Yunhe snow pears from Lishui, Zhejiang province, was shipped to Milan, Italy, on Dec 16, marking the first time that pears grown in Zhejiang to be sold in the European Union.

Although the initial export volume is small, it serves as a pioneering move and sets a positive example for future exports of specialty agricultural products from Lishui.

The first shipment, weighing approximately 140 kilograms, came from the Yiqing Agricultural Products Professional Cooperative in Yunhe county of Lishui. The pears will be sold in local supermarkets and specialty fruit stores through a distributor.

Yunhe county, located in the mountainous region of Southwest Zhejiang, benefits from a unique subtropical monsoon climate and soil conditions, which produce snow pears known for their white flesh, juiciness, sweetness, and crisp texture.

The cooperative expressed a long-standing desire to sell the pears in international markets.

To meet EU standards, Lishui Customs provided guidance to the cooperative on enhancing traceability systems and standardizing the management of pesticides and fertilizers, focusing on key areas such as quarantine pest control and agricultural chemical use.

Lishui Customs also activated a green channel for fresh produce exports, implementing priority inspection and fast-track clearance procedures, including advance declaration and scheduled inspections, to ensure efficient customs processing and maintain the pears' optimal quality for export.