Maoming, a coastal city in western Guangdong, saw its economic aggregate scale reach new heights, surpassing 400 billion yuan and ranking first among cities in eastern, western, and northern Guangdong during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).
This was revealed at a press conference held in Guangzhou on January 12, which was part of a series reviewing Guangdong's development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
Maoming boasts a well-developed agricultural economy and is China's largest lychee-producing region. According to Wang Xiongfei, Mayor of Maoming, the city's total agricultural output value increased year by year, exceeding 120 billion yuan. The output value of eight characteristic agricultural industrial clusters, including lychees and tomentose pummelo peel, surpassed 10 billion yuan each.
Maoming lychees and their derivatives such as fruit juices, pastries and ice creams
Tomentose pummelo peel, a specialty from Maoming, is a dried citrus peel with medicinal properties, renowned for relieving coughs, resolving phlegm, and promoting digestive health.
In 2025, Maoming's total fresh lychee output exceeded 620,000 tons. The volume of lychees exported through Maoming Customs reached 8,183 tons, with lychee sales revenue exceeding 9.1 billion yuan. The total industrial chain value of lychees broke through 12 billion yuan, all marking record highs.
Maoming has developed a "frozen sleep" lychee technology that can preserve freshness for up to 18 months, achieving "year-round freshness." The city also promoted the diversification of lychee fresh fruit into various processed products, such as ice cream, beverages, dried fruits, and pastries.
Maoming has developed a "frozen sleep" lychee technology that can preserve freshness for up to 18 months.
Maoming is also South China's largest petrochemical base and a key energy base in Guangdong Province. It is home to the country's first 10-million-ton oil refining base and the first 1-million-ton ethylene production base. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the total output value of the petrochemical industry remained stable at around 180 billion yuan, with 12 new chemical products reaching international advanced levels.
Maoming is South China's largest petrochemical base.
The city has also targeted emerging and future industries such as new energy vehicles, artificial intelligence, and the low-altitude economy to seize new growth opportunities. A total of 19 low-altitude cultural tourism and logistics routes have been launched.
From 2021 to 2024, the city's annual average growth in investment in high-tech manufacturing reached 46.9%, the annual average growth in the output value of high-end equipment manufacturing was 12.76%, and the annual average growth in the output value of the new energy industry was 11.53%.
Reporter & Photo | Chen Jinxia
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
