Wu Jiaming: Rural Livestreaming Boosts Local Specialty Sales

Wu Jiaming livestreams selling gastrodia elata (a medicinal herb). (Photo provided by interviewee)

"Folks! Freshly dug gastrodia elata, still carrying the earthy fragrance—perfect for stewing with chicken or ribs!" At the gastrodia elata field in Shengji Town, Qixingguan District, Bijie City, livestreamer "Kama" Wu Jiaming enthusiastically promoted the freshly harvested herb to her audience. The chat was instantly flooded with "I want it!" messages.

During this mid-October livestream dedicated to aiding farmers, sales hit 630,000 yuan in less than three hours. For Wu and her team, such success is no longer a rarity.

In late 2024, Wu’s mother, Wen Qin, tasted a "Purple Beauty" radish from Zhuchang Town, Qixingguan District. Its crisp, juicy texture left a lasting impression. Upon learning that over 200,000 jin (100 metric tons) of radishes faced spoilage due to poor sales, Wen immediately decided: "Let’s help farmers sell through livestreaming!"

Without elaborate setups, they set up a simple livestreaming spot by the radish field. Without rehearsed scripts, they relied on genuine enthusiasm to win over viewers. Within days, all the surplus radishes sold out, generating over 200,000 yuan for farmers and turning "Bijie Purple Radish" into a fan favorite.

"Some loyal followers still ask when the radishes will be back in season—that’s the best recognition for our farmers," Wen said with a smile.

Behind these successful livestreams lies Wu Jiaming’s team’s commitment to promoting rural specialties. "Though I’m a multi-category livestreamer, 75% of my products are agricultural goods, mostly produced by us," Wu explained.

In 2019, driven by her childhood dream of "building a factory in her hometown," Wu returned from overseas to Bijie and founded Guizhou Kama Agricultural Products (Group) Co., Ltd., specializing in local products like pickled radish and chili powder. By selling directly via livestreaming, they cut middlemen costs, offering affordable prices while increasing farmers’ profits.

In 2024, the company achieved sales of 13.9 million yuan and created over 40 local jobs, boosting monthly incomes by nearly 4,000 yuan for nearby residents.

"We want more people to discover the treasures of our hometown and help more villagers increase their earnings," Wu said with determination.