(Ninth China International Import Expo) Relay between two generations, Syrian olive oil continues to write the "four-leaf clover promise"

China News Service, Shanghai, November 9 (Lan Yini) November is the harvest season for Syrian olives. Farmers are busy picking fresh fruits, sending them to factories for oil extraction and packaging, and batches of finished olive oil are shipped to all parts of the world. Across thousands of kilometers, this Syrian specialty known as "liquid gold" came to Shanghai again and was favored by merchants at the 9th China International Import Expo (referred to as the "CIIE").

The olive industry supports the livelihood of approximately 300,000 farming families in Syria, and olive oil is one of the country’s core export products. In the past, local olive oil was mostly exported in bulk or entrusted for processing. Now, with the CIIE as a link, Syrian olive oil can open up brand sales and directly supply the Chinese market in batches.

This year is the third time that exhibitor Xiang Dujingyi has embarked on the "CIIE Journey". At the booth of the Syrian brand ALKHAIR where he is located, a dark green packaging box is particularly eye-catching - on the box, gilded olive leaves are spread over the heads of the working farmers, as if to provide a shade. Xiang Dujingyi said that this was a reflection of his father Xiang Qiuhua's original intention to do the import business; he is now taking over this business.

The story begins with the first CIIE. At that time, Xiang Qiuhua came into contact with Syrian olive oil at the exhibition and thought that this oil was of outstanding quality. He finalized the cooperation on the spot and decided to continue introducing it to China. He is optimistic about the potential of this commodity and hopes to use it to help local farmers increase their income.

"My father feels that import trade can better support the lives of local people than donations." Xiang Dujingyi recalled that starting from 2020, Xiang Qiuhua "transformed" from a merchant to an exhibitor at the CIIE, using the exhibition to build a stable docking channel. Over the past few years, Syrian olive oil has gradually become well-known and recognized by Chinese consumers, and has gained many "repeat customers." In addition to the stable orders benefiting farmers, operating profits are also used to adopt Syrian orphans and open local wealth-sharing workshops.

In 2024, Xiang Qiuhua passed away due to illness. His son Xiang Dujingyi and his wife Cheng Jusu took over the business, determined to keep this promise across mountains and seas.

Xiang Dujingyi said frankly that the brand operation of Aileha was relatively extensive before. After taking over, he repeatedly polished 9 sets of gift box solutions, while solving the problem of transportation damage while upgrading the packaging texture to make the products more in line with the preferences of Chinese consumers. At the same time, he also deployed online e-commerce channels to put Syrian goodies on the dining tables of more families.

Relying on the CIIE stage, Xiang Dujingyi has also been trying "new ways of playing". "Last year, I blended olive oil into ice cream and launched a trial. I received nearly 10,000 people in five days. There were also knowledgeable customers who appraised the products and packaged them on the spot." In the past two years, he has also kept up with new consumer trends and collaborated with partners to launch olive oil soap and other products, which are also very popular. From the initial simple booth to the current 36-square-meter brand booth, Syrian olive oil has gained more and more "fans" from each CIIE appointment.

"The CIIE platform has opened a window for us." Husam Al Asadi, export business manager of the Aleho brand, said that so far the brand has exported 15 standard containers of original olive oil to China, with sales of approximately 26 million yuan.

The work continues. According to news from Syria, the country's fresh olive fruit production is expected to reach 955,000 tons in the 2026 production season, and about 80% of the fresh fruit will be used for oil extraction. Continuously growing market demand and smooth and open trade channels will create more possibilities.