Spirit industry grows in Guizhou despite COVID-19 epidemic

This year's China (Guizhou) International Alcoholic Beverages Expo, which runs from Sept 9-13 in Southwest China's Guizhou province, includes a special exhibition area providing free booths for Guizhou's 66 previously impoverished counties to introduce agricultural products.

There are also booths for each county to exhibit one or two companies involved in spirit production, due to the liquor manufacturing industry's considerable contribution to poverty alleviation.

The expo will include a display to showcase the history of Guizhou's spirit industry, the development of the spirit industrial chain, the industry's achievements in poverty alleviation and social development, as well as spirit products that have helped increase farmers' incomes.

During the first half of this year, despite the impact of the novel coronavirus epidemic, spirit companies with an annual sales revenue surpassing 20 million yuan ($2.93 million) in Guizhou have an added value of 56.91 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.3 percent.

The spirit industry's growth also drives the development of other related sectors, such as raw material production, which helps farmers shake off poverty.

An exhibition on the acceleration of poverty alleviation through tourism will also be held during the expo.

In recent years, Guizhou's mountain and rural tourism sector has played a crucial role in combating poverty. The exhibition will present featured tourism products to stimulate consumption.

The organizing committee has aspired to make the expo a cooperation platform for organizations, companies, purchasers and sellers within the domestic and international liquor industry.