High-tech ham

Xuanwei ham, a dry-cured specialty with a legacy dating back centuries, is another Yunnan food specialty that has found its place on the dinner tables of Chinese consumers. It sits alongside Italy's Parma ham and Spain's Iberico ham. In 2023, the pig farming and ham industry in Xuanwei generated over 18.5 billion yuan, producing nearly 70,000 tons of ham and lifting thousands of households out of poverty.

Zhou Jianmei, quality control manager at leading brand Lap-Jon Ham, recalls the moment they realized tradition alone wouldn't be enough. "We knew the quality of our pigs was top-tier, but our production chain lagged behind Europe. So we went there to learn."

Inspired by European models, Lap-Jon Ham invested 360 million yuan into advanced facilities, importing Italian fermentation systems and automating the aging process to allow year-round production.

A modern factory capable of producing 3,200 tons of premium ham annually has been built, alongside salami and ham-filled pastries. Last year, the company reported an output value of 478 million yuan and created over 600 local jobs.

"We learned from the refined, standardized production processes abroad and adapted them to the unique characteristics of Xuanwei ham," Zhou said.

According to government data, over two-thirds of Xuanwei's 330,000 rural households are involved in pig farming. Their average incomes rose by 28,100 yuan in 2023, while 36,000 families previously living in poverty saw an average annual increase of 4,300 yuan.

Six "ham manors" in the city have further boosted income for 2,800 households and created more than 500 jobs, with average monthly wages hitting 4,500 yuan.

Zhou said the primary challenge now is popularization. While beloved in parts of southern China where cured meat has long been a traditional delicacy, Xuanwei ham remains unfamiliar in the country's north.

"When you mention 'ham' in the north, many people still think of processed sausage," she said, adding that better awareness among Chinese consumers in the future is expected to expand the market.