Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia autonomous region received orders for 55 tons of mutton at the fifth China (Jiangsu) International Catering Expo which concluded in Nanjing on Oct 25.

Jiangsu province has high demand of mutton for its flourishing catering industry. However, Inner Mongolia’s quality food items, such as grassland sheep, do not have large market share currently, said Yu Xuerong, deputy head of the Jiangsu Dining Association, noting that the association thus has organized two promotion activities with Xilingol League in earlier. Moreover, the association will arrange a matchmaking event between catering companies and local sheep cooperatives and mutton producers in Xilingol next year.

A deputy head of Xilingol’s commission of economy and information technology said grassland sheep come from natural pastures with efficient sunshine and over 1,000 varieties of grasses. And the varieties of sheep are the result of hundreds of years of natural selection and artificial cultivation. Moreover, Xilingol has been striving to popularize a traceability system. Each sheep is earmarked immediately after birth, and the tracking system will follow it from lamb to mutton.

Twelve mutton producers from Xilingol League took part in the expo, which was sponsored by Chinese Cuisine Association and Jiangsu Dining Association. The league has organized a conference to promote natural, high quality and traceable grassland sheep to consumers during the expo. Xilingol’s exhibition booth received many visitors at the expo.