# A Critical Review of the Status of Current Greenhouse Technology in China and Development Prospects
## 4 Production Analysis of Greenhouse Industry in China
As a kind of \"delicate\" crop, flowers have higher requirements in terms of their growing environment, and the continuous improvement of greenhouse facilities has led to the continuous improvement of flower production. In 2023, China's total flower import and export trade amounted to USD 710 million, a decrease of USD 0.10 billion compared with that of 2022, or a year-to-year decrease of 1.38%. Furthermore, there was an export value of USD 438 million, a year-to-year decline of 9.74%, as well as imports of USD 272 million, a year-to-year increase of 15.95% [32]. China's flower production is much smaller than that of the Netherlands, which accounts for about half of the world's total, making the country the world's largest flower producer. However, China has a huge and growing market, and according to the State Forestry and Grassland Administration in the 10 th China Flower Expo press conference in 2020, national flower sales exceeded CNY 250 billion [33]. The greenhouse cultivation of flowers has become an indispensable part of the market. Greenhouses allow flowers to bloom free from seasonal restrictions and ensure the required conditions for their growth. China has successfully researched and developed rice, wheat, soybean, and other crop seeds that have independent property rights, but there are still some crops whose seed sources still rely on imports, including common fruits, such as citrus fruits, apples, and strawberries. Vegetables are the largest seed category imported into China, accounting for 78% of China's total seed imports in FY2021. One of the priorities is to develop domestic varieties of fruits and vegetables and to reduce dependence on imports. The research and development of seeds that have independent property rights is a focus. In 2024, the Chinese government issued an important document stating that China should improve joint R&D and apply collaboration mechanisms, increase the use of key technologies for seed research, accelerate seed breeding, and promote the production of urgently needed independent, excellent varieties [34]. The research and development of seed sources will significantly reduce imports of foreign agricultural products. It is also necessary to strengthen the construction of agricultural infrastructure, shorten the arable land in areas with farming conditions suitable for high-standard farmland, build facilities suitable for crop growth,  
Figure 13: Orchard under protected cultivation. withstand natural disasters, and improve the self-confidence of planting. The optimization of the industrial structure is also one of the strategies. The agricultural sector mainly includes four types of industries, namely, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries. The optimization of the industrial structure refers to the adoption of scientific and technological means by the Chinese government to adjust the production and distribution structure of local agricultural products according to dynamic changes in the supply and demand of agricultural products on the market and to optimize the scientific and technological inputs, capital investment, etc., of the above four types of industries in accordance with market demands so that the production of agricultural products can be coordinated with market demand, thus realizing agricultural economic growth [35]. Optimizing the industrial structure can improve the nutritional value and taste of food and, through rational planning and layouts, give full play to China's geographic advantages and form an appropriate pattern of food production in China [36]. In any case, the continuous development of China's greenhouse technology and continuous improvements in agricultural science and technology are constantly expanding the vegetable, fruit, flower, and other horticultural products industries.