Jinhua-based Zhejiang Changxu Industry and Trade Co produces agricultural machinery for overseas markets. [Photo/Jinhua Media Group]
Ethiopia is experiencing a transformative wheat harvest thanks to advanced agricultural machinery from Jinhua, in East China's Zhejiang province, underscoring the prominence of the city's agricultural technology in Africa.
"The local wheat grains were small with high impurity content, so we improved our machinery's screening system," said Huang Weiwei, manager of the import and export department at Zhejiang Sifang Group.
The company's tailored, small-batch agricultural equipment has been well received by African clients, with exports increasing by 20 percent from January to October.
Another key player, Zhejiang Changxu Industry and Trade Co, has entered the African market with its LN series water pumps, selling over 100,000 units in Nigeria within a year. These pumps, capable of pumping water during the dry season and draining during the rainy season, have become indispensable to local irrigation efforts.
Jinhua's agricultural machinery is gaining ground in Africa due to its compact, intelligent design and affordability. In 2024, exports reached 196 million yuan ($27.90 million), up 29.44 percent from the previous year.
Jinhua's success stems from innovation and an understanding of local markets. This is exemplified by companies like Yiwu Jinmin Electric Co, whose Yaki brand caters to African culture and consumption habits.
As noted by Jiang Zhenlei, deputy Party secretary of the Jinhua bureau of commerce, Jinhua's engagement with Africa has expanded from merchandise trade to green industries, digital economy, Agricultural technology, and industrial park construction.
For instance, the China-Tanzania Industrial Park in Tanzania, which was invested in by Jinhua businesspeople, will attract over 200 enterprises and create jobs for 100,000 people once completed.
Additionally, exports of electromechanical products to Africa totaled 63.41 billion yuan from January to November, a 25.4 percent increase, representing 45.9 percent of Jinhua's total African exports.
