Narrator: Gao Chuanfu, flower grower in Yunnan Province

I am Gao Chuanfu, a Hubei native who grows flowers in Yunnan. Over the past decade of growing and selling flowers, I have witnessed how Yunnan, this green treasure trove, has gradually evolved into the nation's flower garden. More importantly, I have seen the transformative journey of each individual flower — from being sold by the stem based on experience to being delivered according to standardized quality.

As a national core base for the fresh-cut flower market, Yunnan supplies seven out of every 10 stems of fresh-cut flowers sold across the country. However, when I first entered the flower industry, the sector still faced the challenge of "having no standards to follow." There was no basis for evaluating the quality of flowers, and verbal negotiations made it difficult for high-quality flowers to receive the premium they deserved. The "he said, she said" dilemma was a daily sight at the market.

The change arrived with the comprehensive implementation of industry standards for flower production. From branch length and flower diameter to cup height and color uniformity, a series of quantifiable indicators served as both a "fair scale" — providing clear criteria for evaluating flower quality — and a "passport" that enabled premium flowers to transcend regional barriers and seamlessly connect with the national market. This truly realized the vision of "premium flowers reaching everywhere, selling well all seasons."

Initially, many flower growers were skeptical about these standards. However, when the first batch of Grade A flowers cultivated according to the standards sold out at prices above the market average, and when buyers across the country — attracted by the consistent supply quality — actively sought them out and signed long-term contracts, everyone suddenly realized that the standards were not a mere formality meant to add trouble or impose restrictions. Instead, they were a golden key to revitalizing the industry and unlocking market potential.

In the past, flowers were sold by the stem, involving cumbersome bargaining and unstable sales channels. Now, high-quality flowers are graded by standard and pre-ordered in bundles, and an inspection-free model has turned premium blooms into a "hard currency" in the market. With confidence that premium flowers sell easily, we no longer chase after the market; the market follows the standards.

Thriving industries lead to booming businesses, and full wallets bring sweet lives. Yunnan, my "second hometown," has given me not only a sense of fulfillment from increased income and prosperity but also the happiness of a stable life for my family. My planting scale has steadily expanded from an initial 5 mu to 50 mu, and in 2024, my income exceeded 1 million yuan ($143,000). Standardized management has simplified the planting process and improved circulation efficiency, freeing me from having to tend to everything personally and allowing me to spend more time with my family.

From the fields in Yunnan to households across the country, from domestic markets to the global stage — seeing the flowers I cultivate set out from Yunnan and cross mountains and seas, ringing the doorbells of thousands of households, I increasingly feel that this is not just a romantic journey for a bouquet, but also a transmission of happiness, beauty and warmth.