KUNMING - In the run-up to International Women's Day on March 8, floral scents and anticipation have filled the air at Dounan Flower Market, Asia's largest and the world's second-largest fresh-cut flower trading market.

Recently, the market's vibrant flowers have attracted tourists to Dounan, which is located in the city of Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province.

Meanwhile, numerous auctioneers can be seen monitoring the screens in an auction center of the market, preparing to press the purchase button at any moment. Once that step is completed, the auctioned flowers embark on journeys far and wide.

As International Women's Day approaches, staff at the market's Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center are working to ensure that flowers are delivered to domestic and international consumers in optimal condition.

Zhu Qi, head of planning at the center, said that the flower supply for International Women's Day has significantly increased compared to last year. From March 1 to 5, the average daily supply was 5.86 million stems, up 34 percent from the previous week and 15 percent from last year.

"Since March, the price index for fresh-cut flowers has continued to rise, with sales of various types showing consistent growth," Zhu said.

Zhu noted that the diversity of popular flower varieties for International Women's Day is expanding, providing consumers with more options. "In terms of color, light shades such as purple, pink and white are particularly favored, and less common flowers like pea flowers are also popular among young people," Zhu said.

Talha Elahi, a Pakistani intern at Kunming Huaeb Technology Co Ltd., has been busy sending product and logistics information to customers in various countries on an e-commerce platform. The platform connects flower farmers and traders, integrating the supply chain resources of Yunnan's flower industry, including planting, trading and logistics resources.

Wang Dong, who works with the company, said that the platform has seen a surge in orders prior to International Women's Day -- up 50 percent from the same period last year.

In addition to booming online trade, the offline flower business has also been flourishing at the market. Young shoppers stroll through the aisles, wearing flower garlands and holding bouquets purchased on-site.

Among these shoppers is Ms. Zhou, a tourist from east China's Zhejiang province. She received a hand-woven flower garland from an elderly vendor while shopping and taking photos.

"I came to the market before leaving Kunming to buy flowers for myself and bring some of Kunming's romance back home," she said.

Flower cultivation in Dounan dates back to 1983. In the 1990s, local residents began commercial cultivation and trading. And in 1999, China's first professional flower trading market was established there.

The market has since expanded its flower industrial chain, solidifying its position as a major flower trading hub.

Statistics showed that the Dounan Flower Market's flower transaction volume increased 5 percent to nearly 14.18 billion stems last year. With a transaction value of 11.57 billion yuan (about 1.61 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, the market has led the country in both flower transaction volume and value for 25 consecutive years.

Dounan's blossoming flower industry highlights China's prominence in the global flower market. With about 1.5 million hectares dedicated to flower cultivation and more than 5 million people involved in the industry, China has become the world's largest flower producer and an important flower trader and consumer.

"Flowers were once seen as gifts, but now they are a part of everyday life, and the young consumer base is expanding," Zhu said.