A scientific study on the chemical composition of the Kushui rose reveals that there are more than 130 compounds in the distilled essential oil. This makes Kushui essential oil very rich and deserve of special attention next to Bulgarian and French rose oils, said Jiang.

According to Jiang, essential oil, one of the typical products obtained from the Kushui rose, is the main spice used in cigarettes, soaps, perfumes and high-end cosmetics. "It is valued at more than 50,000 yuan ($7,320) per kg on the global market," Jiang said.

Yongdeng currently produces more than 600 kg of rose oil annually, accounting for 80 percent of China's total annual output, Zhang said.

He said in Kushui alone, there are 27 rose processing factories and four leading enterprises that produce food, beverage, health and medicine products. Their annual processing capacity has reached 10 million kg and products are being sold all over the world.

Wang Jiankang, a local farmer, who has also been a rose buyer for more than 10 years, built his own purchasing and selling network. "I contacted local farmers and signed contracts with them, which guarantees my rose sources," said Wang.

He said he could buy 50 tons of rose buds annually and expects that this year he will collect 4,500 kg a day.

"I also dry some of my own flower buds," said Wang. He has built eight workshops and hired more than 20 workers to dry rose buds.

Starting to bloom

Even with all this good news, the Yongdeng rose industry still faces many challenges. "Insufficient processing capacity is one of the burning problems and local governments are trying to help farmers by building new rose oil plants and getting the products on the global market," said Zhang.

Industrialization is an efficient way to further promote the rose industry, he said. "The key lies in developing leading enterprises," he said.

Gansu Sanhe Rose Biotechnology Co. Ltd., founded in June 2006, is a large-scale rose processing enterprise. It has an annual processing capacity of 3,000 tons. In 2008, it imported from the United States advanced extraction equipment at a cost of more than $500,000. "The equipment is still being tested," said Xue Shouming, head of the company.

"We have put in more than 120 million yuan ($17.57 million) to build a new project using that advanced equipment. After the project is done, the enterprise will have a 6,000-ton annual processing capacity. Part of that capacity will be the 3 tons of rose oil it will be able to produce annually. The company's annual output value will reach 120 million yuan ($17.57 million)."

Gansu Sanhe is cooperating with research institutes like Lanzhou University and Beijing (Tsinghua) Chengzhi Shareholding Co. Ltd. to develop new rose products.

"Such leading enterprises will bring vitality to the rose industry," Zhang said.

Tourist festivals are another way to further develop the rose industry. In 2008, the local government launched the Yongdeng Kushui Rose Festival. It was held for the second time on May 19-26 and attracted many domestic and foreign tourists.

After three years of hard work, the Standardization Administration of China on October 22, 2008 approved a national Kushui rose oil trade standard, which took effect on February 1. It provides a foundation for the Kushui rose to further expand its national and global reach. The Gansu Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, the Shanghai Research Institute of the Fragrance and Flavor Industry and the Yongdeng County Association of the Rose Industry formulated the standard.

The Yongdeng County Government also recently established a five-year plan for the rose industry. The plan states that in 2009, the total planting area will reach 2,500 hectares and will produce 19 million kg of fresh roses, 3.8 million kg of dried rose buds, 220 kg of rose oil and seven leading enterprises will be established; in 2013, the planting area will reach 6,700 hectares, producing 50 million kg of fresh roses, 10 million kg of dried rose buds, 570 kg of rose oil and the number of leading enterprises will reach 15.

"We are trying to build a 'West Chinese Rose Valley' in 10 to 20 years," Zhang said.