The China’s biggest fresh water pearl specialized market­--Zhejiang Zhuji pearl market, by its unique charm, has attracted the multitudinous domestic and foreign merchants and the celebrity, its commodities are best-selling at home and distant markets such as US, Japan, Russia and Southeast Asia. At present, above 90% of the Hong Kong market fresh water pearl are provided by Zhuji pearl market.
The Zhuji pearl market is located in "town of China’s pearl" –Shanxiahu town; it occupies an area of 50 Chinese acres, with 100 high-quality goods rooms and over 1000 stalls. The market transaction commodity is mainly the fresh water pearl with variety of original bead, the pearl jewelry, the pearl handicraft and pearl cosmetology healthy products, all total reaches 1,000 kinds. The market daily average visit ratio reaches nearly ten thousand people; the year total turnover is 680 tons, which accounts for 80% of the national fresh water market business volume.
According to Shanxiahu officials, the pearl industry is the characteristic economy and the pillar industry of the town; it is farmer's direct source of income. After 30 years development, Shanxiahu town has become a region concentrated economy leaded by specialized market and processing enterprises, based on cultivated base and socialized service. At the end of2004, the entire town more than 3,000 cultivators, with 15,000 jobholders and an area of cultivation approximately 350,000 Chinese acres and annual production pearl 350 tons, which accounts for 70% of the world fresh water pearl output..