Renowned as one of China's leading camellia fairs, the festival attracted businessmen, experts and visitors from more than 30 countries and regions across the world.

The biggest drawcards proved to be an international level camellia show and a potted landscape exhibition, while related scientific research forums and camellia trade exchanges also attracted big crowds.

"This is the first time the festival, run by the International Camellia Association, has been held in China, the last was hosted by Japan two years ago," said Han Deqian, vice-president of the China Flower and Plants Association.

Han said festival organizers singled out Jinhua not only because of its flourishing camellia industry, but also its growing status as one of China's business hubs.

The cultivation of camellia can be traced back more than 800 years in Jinhua, with the plant recognized across the country as being the city flower of Jinhua. Today, it accounts for one quarter of the city's agricultural industry.

With more than 8,300 hectares of camellia plantations, the city of Jinhua derives 1 billion yuan (US$120 million) worth of income from the plants every year.

The flowers are exported to many foreign countries, including Japan, the United States and the Netherlands.

"People got rich growing camellia," said Han.

Apart from camellia, the city is also noted for its burgeoning osmanthus and fingered citron growing industries.

In Zhejiang, the flower and plant industry is blooming. It covers a total cultivation area of more than 53,000 hectares with more than 200,000 people working in the field and its annual output value hovers around 5 billion yuan (US$602 million).

"Seeing a huge profit in the flower and plant industry, many investors in Zhejiang have also withdrawn their capital from the stock market, opting to invest in the flower and plant sector instead," said Han.

Although growing flowers and plants requires a wealth of professional expertise, investors still pocketed some 3 million yuan (US$361,446) in profits over the course of a year.

"The flower and plant industry is emerging as a profitable business venture in the province. And I am sure the international camellia festival will consolidate this and close with a considerable profit," said Han.

(China Daily March 10, 2003)