The 15th China International Pickle Food Expo was launched on Saturday in Meishan, Sichuan province, attracting 256 exhibitors from home and abroad.

As China's largest exhibition specializing in pickled food, the event is organized by the China National Food Industry Association and the China Chamber of Commerce of Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products.

The three-day expo covers a total area of 20,000 square meters with 278 booths, featuring five themed exhibition zones: pickles, seasonings, prepared foods, catering ingredients, and food packaging and processing machinery.

More than 8,000 buyers from chain restaurants, supermarkets, and educational institutions have been invited to the expo, a 20-fold increase from the previous edition, organizers said.

Alongside the exhibition, visitors can take part in a series of activities, including a Sichuan cuisine cooking competition, a pickle dish innovation contest, and a hands-on experience of traditional pickle-making techniques.

Meishan's pickle industry has seen rapid growth in recent years. Official statistics show that the city's revenue from pickle sales reached 22.5 billion yuan ($3.3 billion) last year, accounting for about one-third of the national share.

Pickled food products from Meishan have been exported to over 100 countries and regions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea.