The Information Office of the Hunan Provincial People's Government held a press conference on October 14, releasing a series of measures to promote Hunan's high-quality development of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industry.

Xiao Wenming, member of the CPC Leadership Group of the Health Commission of Hunan Province and director of Hunan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, briefed on the basic situations of the TCM industry in Hunan.

Hunan is a powerhouse of TCM resources. The province is home to 4,667 categories of TCM herbs, ranking among the national top and taking the lead in central China. By the end of 2024, the cultivation area of medicinal herbs across the province reached 4.93 million mu (about 328,666 hectares). The output of authentic medicinal herbs, such as Huangjing (polygonatum cyrtonema Hua) and Yuzhu (polygonatum odoratum), accounted for over 60% of the national total. Forty-three products, including Shaodong Yuzhu and Jingzhou Fuling (poria), have been identified as national geographical indication (GI) products. The "Xiang Jiu Wei" medicinal herb brand has become a prominent "calling card" of Hunan Province.

In 2024, the total output value of Hunan's TCM industry chain exceeded 150 billion CNY, with the large-scale TCM industrial enterprises achieving an annual revenue of 34 billion CNY. The number of Hunan-based companies shortlisted for China's top 100 TCM enterprises amounted to six, including the Jiuzhitang Co., Ltd. and the Qianjin Group, ranking fourth around the country. Thirty categories of Chinese patent medicine each achieved annual sales of more than 100 million CNY. The Lianqiao Chinese Herbal Medicine Market in Shaodong County ranks among the top in the country and serves as an important distribution center in the central and southern regions of China.

Hunan has continuously been expanding the TCM industrial boundary, advancing "TCM plus" cross-industry integration. There are nearly 30,000 enterprises related to TCM healthcare services across the province. New business formats combining TCM with healthcare and fitness, or tourism, are flourishing. Hunan has established five national forest healthcare and fitness bases, six provincial-level TCM fitness tourism routes, and eight provincial-level climate fitness demonstration bases.

Hunan has five national-level enterprise technology centers and two academician workstations. Key research platforms such as Yuelushan Laboratory and Furong Laboratory continuously empower the development of TCM industry. Over the past five years, four innovative TCM products have been approved, ranking sixth nationwide. In this July, the National Germplasm Resources Bank for Medicinal Herbs was officially established in Hunan, broadening the development areas and enhancing growth momentum of Hunan's TCM industry.