Camellia oleifera is an important woody oilseed species unique to China, and camellia oil—processed from its seeds—is a traditional edible vegetable oil in China. Sichuan is a key national region for the camellia oleifera industry, and developing this industry is of great significance for enhancing the province’s capacity to supply edible oils and meeting the nutritional and health needs of the people. To implement the series of requirements issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council regarding the vigorous development of the camellia oleifera industry, and with the approval of the provincial government, the following implementation guidelines are hereby proposed.
I. General Requirements
(1) Guiding Principles. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will uphold the principle that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” earnestly implement the relevant requirements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, aim to steadily enhance the supply capacity of tea oil, and adhere to the basic principles of “right tree for the right place, high-quality varieties and cultivation methods, concentrated and intensive development, andmarket-oriented entities, and policy guidance," with a focus on optimizing regional layout, comprehensively promoting high-quality varieties and robust seedlings, orderly expanding planting scale, and establishing an integrated development system for the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors. We will accelerate the improvement of quality and expansion of scale in the province’s camellia oil cultivation, ensure stable and high yields, and promote income growth and prosperity for residents in camellia oil-producing areas.
(2) Main Objectives. By 2025, the province will add more than 720,000 mu of new camellia oil plantations and renovate more than 110,000 mu of low-yield, low-efficiency camellia oil plantations. We will cultivate more than five provincial-level camellia oil industrial parks and designate more than three counties as provincial-level model counties for high-quality camellia oil development.
(3) Overall Layout. Based on resource endowments and the current state of industrial development, and taking the 68 counties (cities, districts) across the province where camellia oil trees are distributed as a foundation, we will foster a “One Core, Multiple Points” development pattern.The “one core” refers to the Southern Sichuan Camellia Oil Industry Core Development Zone, focusing on Rong County, Fushun County, Longchang City, Xuyong County, Luxian County, Muchuan County, as well as Xuzhou District and Cuiping District in Yibin. Efforts will be made to vigorously promote the construction of a core development zone characterized by the concentration of development factors, the integration of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, and distinct competitive advantages.The “multiple points” refer to concentrated development zones for the oil tea industry established in the Qinba Mountains—including Dachuan District, Xuanhan County, and Jiangyou City in Dazhou City, as well as Chaotian District in Guangyuan City—and in the Anning River–Jinsha River basin, such as Huili City, Puge County, and Xide County in Liangshan Prefecture. These zones aim to expand the scale of oil tea production within the regions and promote the competitive development of these “multiple points.”
II. Key Tasks
(4) Expand land use through multiple channels. Support the conversion of various suitable non-arable land resources—such as low-efficiency tea gardens, low-efficiency commercial forest land, sparse woodlands, and shrublands—into oil tea plantations to expand the scale of oil tea cultivation. Oil tea plantations shall be included in the scope of forest coverage and forest carbon sink surveys, monitoring, and statistics in accordance with the Forestry Law. Expanding or renovating oil tea plantations shall not affect the total forest land area or forest coverage rate.Annual afforestation and reforestation plans shall prioritize the establishment of new camellia oil plantations. Support the renewal and conversion of low-quality, low-efficiency forests (excluding public welfare forests) on land converted from farmland to forest into camellia oil plantations. For new camellia oil plantations established on barren mountains, slopes, orchards, or mine reclamation sites outside the scope of the “Single Map of Forest Resources,” once the newly added forest land is verified and mapped, applications may be submitted to use an equivalent area of forest land quota indicators.Support pilot projects to convert pine forests into camellia oil plantations in areas affected by pine wood nematode disease. Areas where trees have been felled for disease control should be prioritized for conversion to camellia oil plantations, while in pine wood nematode prevention zones, measures such as establishing biological buffer zones may be adopted to replace pine trees with camellia oil plants. Support the development of camellia oil plantations in suitable areas in conjunction with the construction of biological firebreak belts.Commercially managed forests may adopt the method of main-felling regeneration to develop camellia oil plantations on a large scale. Where tree felling is required for camellia oil cultivation, approval procedures shall be processed with priority, and relevant policies for national reserve forest projects may be applied. Intercropping and mixed cultivation of camellia oil with other commercial tree species and crops is encouraged, as is planting camellia oil on “four-side” lands (land adjacent to villages, roads, water bodies, and residential areas).
(5) Promote the use of high-quality camellia varieties. Strengthen the breeding of high-quality camellia varieties, with the goal of adding at least five newly approved or recognized varieties. Establish a number of high-quality scion nurseries (bases) and provincial-level designated seedling nurseries within suitable camellia growing regions to achieve an annual output of 20 million qualified seedlings.Strictly enforce the “Four Fixes and Three Clarities” management system for the production and sale of camellia seedlings (fixed-point scion collection, fixed-point seedling propagation, contract-based production, and targeted supply; clear variety, clear seed source, and clear sales destination). Camellia afforestation must use certified container-grown seedlings that are at least two years old.All seedling requirements for camellia oil industry bases receiving fiscal afforestation subsidies must be met exclusively with high-quality varieties from designated guaranteed nurseries. Designated guaranteed nurseries must strictly enforce the record-keeping and labeling system and implement a lifetime accountability system for camellia oil seedling quality. The provincial government will establish a DNA fingerprint database for approved camellia oil varieties and conduct comprehensive random inspections of seedling quality at designated guaranteed nurseries.
(6) Strengthen the Application of Best Practices and Equipment. Improve supporting technologies for early-bearing and high-yield camellia cultivation; promote intercropping models such as “camellia + tea” and “camellia + single-season crops”; and innovate simple yet efficient renovation models for low-yield forests. Intensify the research, development, and promotion of mechanized planting and management equipment for camellia in hilly and mountainous areas; and strengthen the development and promotion of advanced and suitable machinery for camellia shelling, drying, and deep processing.Strive to include facilities and equipment for camellia cultivation, harvesting, and processing within the scope of agricultural machinery purchase subsidies. Improve the technical standards system for camellia, promoting standardization in high-efficiency cultivation, breeding of superior varieties, renewal and revitalization, product processing, and quality testing. Launch pilot projects for “matching machinery to local conditions” to accelerate the selection, breeding, and promotion of superior varieties and high-efficiency cultivation methods suitable for mechanized operations.
(7) Enhance Camellia Oleifera Processing Capacity. Encourage camellia-producing regions to attract and incubate deep-processing enterprises, and support camellia processing enterprises in applying for designation as provincial-level or higher leading enterprises and high-tech enterprises. Guide leading enterprises, professional cooperatives, and other new types of business entities to establish primary processing sites nearby, and build supporting facilities for drying, shelling, cold chain, logistics, and warehousing of fresh camellia fruits, dried camellia seeds, and crude oil from first-pressing.Fully leverage our province’s technical advantages in the development of functional tea oil and medical and health products, accelerate the comprehensive development and utilization of tea seed meal and tea seed cake, and increase the added value of tea oil products. Provide support for deep processing projects through measures such as loan interest subsidies, brand development, and demonstration and excellence initiatives. By 2025, cultivate at least 5 provincial-level leading processing enterprises and at least 10 provincial-level tea oil cooperatives.
(8) Building Distinctive Tea Oil Brands. Integrate provincial brand resources to focus on developing the “Tianfu Tea Oil” public brand. Support the consolidation of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) brands to create a group of well-known regional brands with market influence, and promote the establishment of a brand system led by public brands and integrating local regional specialty brands with renowned corporate brands.Support leading camellia enterprises and social organizations in applying for Forest Ecological Label Products, as well as Green Food, Organic Food, and Geographical Indication Agricultural Products certifications. Improve systems for product quality testing, random inspections, public disclosure, and traceability. Encourage camellia-producing regions and processing bases to connect with e-commerce platforms to create “viral” brands.
(9) Promote concentrated and intensive development. Support the creation of “10,000-mu forest, 100-million-yuan revenue” camellia oil industrial parks based on standardized camellia oil planting bases, focusing on deep processing and the integration of “oil” and tourism. Support efforts to actively apply for National Forestry Industry Demonstration Zones and Specialty Agricultural Product Advantage Zones based on provincial-level camellia oil industrial parks.Counties (cities, districts) with camellia oil tree distributions should accelerate the improvement of infrastructure and production equipment in camellia oil tree bases and industrial parks, focusing on enhancing production conditions such as land preparation and soil improvement, water conservancy and irrigation, operational access roads, and external connecting roads. Support will be provided to counties (cities, districts) with concentrated camellia oil tree development areas of 60,000 mu or more that have established both standardized camellia oil tree planting demonstration bases and provincial-level camellia oil tree industrial parks to strive for designation as Provincial-Level High-Quality Camellia Oil Tree Development Counties (specific evaluation methods to be formulated separately).
(10) Promote the Integration of Diverse Business Models. Encourage localities to leverage camellia oil industrial parks and planting bases to develop eco-tourism and forest wellness industries in accordance with local conditions. Support eligible entities in applying for designations such as eco-tourism zones, forest wellness bases, nature education bases, forest towns, “Green and Beautiful” villages, and “Forest Homestays” at various levels.Support localities in organizing events such as camellia flower festivals and camellia expos to promote specialty camellia products, create branded floral (and fruit) ecological tourism festivals centered on camellia flowers and camellia culture, and develop premium rural ecological tourism routes featuring camellia themes. Incorporate camellia festivals into our province’s “Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival” activities and strive to have them included in the national list of key economic forest festivals.
(11) Strengthen Scientific and Technological Support. Support research institutions and leading enterprises in establishing technical research institutes for the camellia oil industry, cultivate high-level innovation teams, and support applications for science and technology awards and project funding. Enhance capacity-building for product quality and safety inspection and monitoring.Launch the “100-1,000-10,000” campaign for camellia science and technology talent. Leveraging initiatives such as the “Science and Technology to the Countryside” campaign, expert service teams, and science and technology special envoys, we will dispatch more than 100 camellia researchers, train more than 1,000 “local experts” (such as grafting specialists and maintenance experts), and provide training to more than 10,000 people.
III. Support Measures
(12) Strengthen Organizational Leadership. Establish and improve the mechanism for advancing the camellia oil industry. At the provincial level, the Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau will take the lead, with the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Department of Economy and Information Technology, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Finance, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Ecology and Environment, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Department of Commerce, Department of Culture and Tourism, Provincial Market Regulation Bureau, Provincial Rural Revitalization Bureau, and Provincial Local Financial Regulatory Bureau cooperating according to their respective functions and responsibilities to jointly advance the work.The performance of the camellia oil industry will be incorporated into the assessment system for the “10+3” modern agricultural industry development initiative. Governments at all levels in camellia-suitable regions must fully recognize the significant importance of developing the camellia oil industry, treat it as a key component of ensuring food and oil security, and make every effort to ensure the completion of camellia oil development targets and tasks.
(13) Strengthen Fiscal Support. The provincial government will provide subsidies for newly established and renovated camellia oil tree plantations at rates of 1,000 yuan per mu and 600 yuan per mu, respectively; camellia oil industry parks that have been certified will receive incentives and subsidies in accordance with the “Sichuan Provincial Administration Measures for the Certification of Modern Forestry (Grassland) Industry Parks”; counties certified as provincial-level high-quality camellia oil development counties will receive a one-time subsidy of 20 million yuan; eligible regions will be granted subsidies for specialty agricultural insurance;and provide a one-time subsidy for the construction of provincial-level seedling nurseries. Support localities in incorporating the camellia oil industry into the scope of funding for the Sichuan Grain and Oil Development Special Program, rural revitalization, water conservancy infrastructure, rural roads, and other relevant initiatives. Camellia oil enterprises participating in market expansion activities organized by relevant departments or industry associations may be granted appropriate subsidies for booth fees in accordance with relevant regulations.
(14) Strengthen financial support.Financial institutions are encouraged to innovate products and service models, develop credit products such as “Camellia Loans,” and offer mortgage loans secured by economic forest (fruit) rights certificates and forest land property certificates. Support will be provided to include camellia in the scope of policy-based loan programs. Interest subsidies will be provided in accordance with regulations for bank loan projects of eligible camellia enterprises and specialized cooperatives. Implement policies for premium subsidies for policy-based forest insurance to support the development of camellia insurance services. Agricultural credit guarantee institutions are encouraged to include camellia within their guarantee coverage.
(15) Improve institutional mechanisms. Promote models such as “leading enterprises + specialized cooperatives + farmers,” “guaranteed minimum dividends,” and “secondary rebates” to refine diversified interest-linkage mechanisms.Explore the implementation of a minimum purchase price policy for camellia seeds. Utilize modern logistics and new marketing methods—such as direct procurement and supply, rural e-commerce, and online marketing—to help producers integrate into modern sales and logistics systems and establish stable production-to-sales linkage mechanisms. Explore the establishment of incentive mechanisms for state-owned forest farms to develop the camellia industry; proceeds from such development may be used to improve infrastructure and living and production conditions.
