Chinese Spirulina Industry Expands Global Reach, Promoting Health and Nutrition Benefits

ORDOS, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 October 2025 – On September 27, a batch of spirulina products from Otog Banner in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, set sail from Tianjin Port to Los Angeles, USA. According to Qiao Yue, deputy general manager of Ordos Jiali Spirulina Co., Ltd., this shipment included 20 tons of organic spirulina powder and 10 tons of spirulina tablets. “Overseas orders are currently scheduled until after the National Day holiday, and our production lines are operating at full capacity to ensure timely delivery,” Qiao said.

This order is another example of Otog Spirulina’s expansion into the global market. The Spirulina Industrial Park in Otog Banner, located on the Inner Mongolia Plateau, has now become the world’s largest spirulina production base. With 4,993 standardized cultivation greenhouses, the park produces 5,200 tons of spirulina powder, 900 tons of spirulina tablets, and 100 tons of phycocyanin powder annually, achieving an annual output value of over 500 million yuan. Its products are exported to more than 40 countries and regions, including Germany, France, and the United States, marking the widespread international recognition of this homegrown Chinese biotech industry.

The international competitiveness of Otog Spirulina stems from its unique resource advantages. In 1995, a team led by Professor Qiao Chen from Inner Mongolia Agricultural University discovered a native Chinese algae species—Ordos Spirulina platensis—in the alkaline lakes of Otog Banner. This discovery laid a solid foundation for the localized development of China’s spirulina industry. In 2021, Otog Spirulina was included in the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement, further enhancing its visibility and competitiveness in the global market.

Technological innovation is injecting new vitality into this traditional industry. The Joint Biomedical Research Center, established by Otog Banner and Zhejiang University, has applied for or obtained 11 national invention patents and one Japanese patent, and has published over 20 papers in top-tier international academic journals. More notably, collaborative research with Chinese medical institutions has shown that spirulina has significant effects in the clinical intervention of fatty liver disease and constipation, opening new avenues for its expansion into the international health product market.

*In the Spirulina strain bank, staff are observing the growth of the strains.*

“The global microalgae industry is flourishing, with Otog Banner accounting for 40% of the world’s spirulina production, making it internationally recognized as the ‘World Algae Capital,'” remarked Professor Alexander Matthys from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich at the Second International Spirulina Industry Development Conference in Otog Banner in 2025.

From the alkaline lakes of Inner Mongolia to the global market, the international journey of Otog Spirulina showcases the innovative strength of China’s biotech industry. With the deepening of the Belt and Road Initiative, this green industry from northern China is injecting new vitality into the global health food market, becoming a new calling card for Chinese biotech as it goes global.