Tasked with boosting consumption, balancing supply and demand, and promoting urban-rural integration, the 2026 Golden Autumn Consumption Season of the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival was launched in Shanghai on Sept 4.

Focusing on showcasing quality products, harnessing technology, and preserving agricultural culture, the event seeks to drive rural revitalization by stimulating consumption.

Since the Golden Autumn Consumption Season was first held in 2020, it has generated more than 160 billion yuan ($23.84 billion) in consumption through the sale of agricultural products, said Lei Liugong, director of the market and information technology department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

"As an international metropolis and economic hub, Shanghai connects the Yangtze River Delta region with the rest of China and the world. The event will leverage this position to bring high-quality products to more markets, raise the profile of the harvest festival, and engage a wider audience," Lei added.

According to Lei, one of the distinctive features of this year's event is its innovative approach to tapping into the latest trends. The launch offered a glimpse of how artificial intelligence is reshaping the digital supply chain, from placing an online order to delivering fresh produce.

By accessing Alibaba's large language model Qwen and placing an order for agricultural products, consumers can receive recommendations for items including rice from Shanghai's Chongming district and sweet bamboo shoots from Southwest China's Yunnan province, available through Tmall Supermarket and Freshippo, Alibaba's grocery and fresh food retail chain. Products can be delivered in as little as 30 minutes after an order is placed.

Initiated in 2018, the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival is held annually on the Autumn Equinox, one of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese lunar calendar. It is China's first national-level holiday dedicated to farmers.

As the core brand activity of the harvest festival, the Golden Autumn Consumption Season focuses on building channels for agricultural products to move from villages to cities, matching urban consumer demand with rural production, and fostering integrated urban-rural agricultural development.

On Sept 4, six major internet platforms — Alibaba, JD, Pinduoduo, Meituan, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, or RedNote — announced special initiatives to support agriculture during the 2026 Golden Autumn Consumption Season.

The measures, including subsidies and business cultivation, are expected to help promote high-quality agricultural products and drive digital transformation in rural industries.

Source: China Daily