Lanling county in Linyi, Shandong province, a famous vegetable production base in China, has been actively integrating into the development of the Yangtze River Delta region in recent years, and local vegetable brands have continued to spread their influence.

Lanling currently has a total vegetable harvest area of roughly 80,000 hectares, with a 5-million-metric-ton annual output. There are 25 standardized planting bases at the provincial level, totaling 13,333 hectares.

Linyi is one of China's old revolutionary outposts that situated in southern Shandong and is within the surrounding areas of the Yangtze River Delta region.

Farmers sell vegetables via livestreaming platforms in Yinan county, Linyi on May 22. [Photo/VCG]

According to the country's chief economic planner, the Yangtze River Delta region has generally become a strong and active growth engine for the country's economic development, with the region's GDP contribution continuing to rally. During the last four years, the region has garnered significant benefits from its integrated growth.

Linyi has increased its efforts to integrate into the Yangtze River Delta region's development, with the goal of becoming the region's "vegetable basket" and "backyard garden" as part of its efforts to support regional high-quality development.

"Linyi farmers pick vegetables first thing in the morning. The vegetables can be sold in Shanghai's vegetable markets in seven or eight hours," according to a local official.

Lanling dispatched dozens of trucks loaded with vegetables to Shanghai and surrounding areas amid the recent wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The market share of some Linyi-produced agricultural products in the Yangtze River Delta can exceed 40 percent. Two out of every three peaches in Shanghai are produced in Linyi's Mengyin county. For every three salted ducks sold in the Yangtze River Delta region, one came from Linyi's Yinan county.