Partner: Syngenta Bioline Bees BV, Weert The Netherlands Cooperation content: Introducing industrial rearing of bumblebees for biological pollination of crops in China (Hebei) Cooperation results: Before the application of the project, China producers use hormones for the pollination process of protected crops especially tomatoes. However, using hormones to pollinate fruits and vegetables have a negative influence on the quality of the food. It becomes more meaty and less juicy. These hormones are considered as chemical products and need to be manually distributed in the greenhouses. Hence, artificial pollination is not very environment friendly and is also labour intensive. From 2008 to 2012, over 1,000,000EUR were invested for the project implementation. Total 5,5000 mated bumblebee queens and 5520 lbf young bumblebees (half-fabricate) were introduced from the Netherlands. Three researchers were trained in Syngenta Bioline Bees BV the Netherlands and more technician were trained in Hengshui for industrial rearing of bumblebees include the technical installations and the rearing technique for the mass production of bumblebees. With the project funding and technical support, about 3000 m2 bumblebee production facilities were established in Hengshui, Hebei. By using the new facilities, annual production capacity of bumblebee pollination hives could be 50,000. The production capacity can meet the pollination needs of over 5,000 hectares of protected crops.