A 560-acre export-grade freeze-dried kale powder production base in Zhangye City has received China's first carbon label certification for this product category, marking a new milestone in the low-carbon transformation of the country's specialty agricultural products. This achievement follows Zhangye's earlier success in obtaining the first carbon label certification for baby bok choy in 2024, further solidifying its leadership in agricultural carbon footprint management with a cumulative certified area of 4,360 acres.
The certification covers the entire lifecycle of kale production—from cultivation and processing to export—using the internationally recognized Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to accurately calculate carbon emissions from key stages such as fertilizer use and energy consumption.
"Carbon labels act as a 'green ID' for agricultural products, enhancing the competitiveness of our exports in international markets," said a representative from the agricultural enterprise involved in the certification. Leveraging the ecological advantages of the Qilian Mountains, the region has adopted low-carbon farming techniques, including organic fertilizer substitution and green pest control. The freeze-drying process, which preserves over 90% of active nutrients, also ensures carbon reduction across the entire production chain.
The product has already secured multiple international orders, with its low-carbon attributes becoming a key market advantage. This milestone not only fills a gap in carbon certification for processed specialty agricultural products but also provides practical experience for aligning with international regulations such as the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
As carbon labeling systems gain wider adoption, low-carbon practices will emerge as a core competitive advantage for Chinese agricultural products in global markets, fostering a virtuous cycle of "carbon reduction—quality improvement—market expansion" and injecting green momentum into high-quality agricultural development.