China - November 29, 2024 Chrysanthemums are in full bloom in cities across China where they're bringing a bit of color to the dark autumn days. At one greenhouse in east China's Jiangxi Province, farmers harvest the fresh blooms that are then swiftly transported to cold storage for processing before being shipped out. Interviews: Liu Zhixi, Party Secretary of Hongxing Village, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province: "These yellow chrysanthemums are exported to Japan, while the white ones are sold through nearby markets." In east China's Anhui Province, the renowned Chuzhou chrysanthemums have also entered harvest season. Here, freshly-picked flowers are sent to factories for blanching and drying to extend their shelf life. Tang Baolei, Person in charge of Chuzhou chrysanthemum drying project in Guanli Village, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province: "We collect 2,000 kilograms of fresh Chuzhou chrysanthemums every day. We can blanch 250 kilograms of flowers per hour and dry up 2,500 kilograms per day. This ensures that we can process all the fresh chrysanthemums from local farmers every day." And in southwest China's Sichuan Province, chrysanthemums are harvested for medicinal purposes for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. [RESTRICTIONS: No access Chinese mainland]