首届西部珍珠产业发展大会暨珠宝博览交易会开幕

Core Insights - The first Western Pearl Industry Development Conference and Jewelry Expo was held in Kaijiang, Sichuan Province, focusing on the theme "China's Western Pearl. From Now On, Kaijiang" [1] - The "Western Pearl" regional public brand was officially launched, emphasizing its role as a national and global industry identifier [3] - Kaijiang aims to become a leading hub for the pearl industry in Western China, with a goal to exceed 10 billion yuan in comprehensive industrial output value within 3 to 5 years [5] Industry Overview - The conference gathered top experts, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs from the jewelry, agriculture, and rural revitalization sectors [1] - Kaijiang's ecological advantages position it as a natural habitat for pearls, with a current freshwater non-nucleated pearl farming area of 17,000 acres and an annual production of 30.8 tons, accounting for over 20% of the national output [3] - The region's pearl farming scale and output are the highest in Western China, with jewelry-grade pearls making up to 6% of the total production [3] Future Goals - The local government aims to establish Kaijiang as a model for ecological circular farming and a comprehensive industrial chain development area [5] - The unveiling of the world's largest free pearl, weighing 2,036 grams and valued at over 100 million USD, highlighted the expo [5] - The event will continue until October 8, featuring various industry seminars and product exhibitions to invigorate the Western pearl industry [5]