Recently, the Institute of Subtropical Agriculture (ISA) of the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FAAS) officially approved the“Citronella Planting and its Industrial Application Technology in Lancang-Mekong Region" procurement project supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China.

The Lancang-Mekong cooperation is a sub-regional cooperation platform jointly initiated and developed by China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam in 2016. Agriculture and poverty reduction have been identified as one of the five priority areas of the LMC cooperation.

Citronella is a plant native to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. Due to its developed root system, drought and waterlogging tolerance, and lax environmental requirements, it can be cultivated in general soils. In South China, Southwest China, Fujian, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, citronella can be harvested using various methods, and it possesses strong regeneration abilities after harvest.

The implementation of the project will mainly benefit grassroots farmers in Cambodia and Thailand, and help to teach neighboring countries advanced knowledge in planting, processing and breeding citronella.