In Tuoketuo County, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, located on the north bank of the Yellow River, over one million acres of fertile and flat farmland make it a traditional major grain-producing region. In recent years, the county has prioritized the development of the biomanufacturing industry, promoting deep processing of corn to achieve a remarkable transformation from "a kernel of corn" to "a capsule." Modern biomanufacturing is now thriving along the Yellow River.
During early summer, a visit to the Tuoketuo Economic Development Zone reveals a cluster of leading enterprises in the biomanufacturing sector. The zone has been recognized as a "National Torch Program Hohhot Biomanufacturing Characteristic Industrial Base" and a regional-level characteristic industrial cluster for small and medium-sized enterprises (biopharmaceutical cluster).
Zhang Yu, Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of Tuoketuo Economic Development Zone, stated that the county's biomanufacturing industry has formed a complete industrial chain from "corn - starch - liquid sugar - intermediates - active pharmaceutical ingredients - finished drugs." It has gathered 24 upstream and downstream enterprises, producing over 30 types of products. In 2025, the output value of the county's biomanufacturing industry reached 8.312 billion yuan. "We are focusing on cutting-edge fields such as synthetic proteins, functional foods, biological feed, and bio-based materials, intensifying investment promotion efforts, and aiming to introduce three to five biomanufacturing projects annually with core technologies, high added value, and strong driving effects," Zhang Yu said.
As a locally grown leading biomanufacturing enterprise, Jinke Biotechnology Co., Ltd. has been operating in Tuoketuo County for over 30 years. At the site of the company's sixth-phase project, which commenced operations last year, a cylindrical smart factory features fermentation tanks of various specifications arranged in a circular layout, ensuring orderly production. Qi Zhen, the project manager, explained that the circular arrangement of fermentation tanks in the smart factory addresses challenges in fermentation liquid transfer, offering advantages such as high space utilization and sterile fermentation, significantly improving fermentation efficiency.
At the construction site of Hengtong (Inner Mongolia) Biotechnology Co., Ltd.'s small-scale amino acid industrial base, work is in full swing. "The total investment in the project exceeds 1 billion yuan, with the first phase covering approximately 89.9 acres. It will establish a high-end amino acid industrial base with a total fermentation volume of 3,200 cubic meters. We are optimistic about the biomanufacturing sector and, after evaluating many locations across the country, chose Tuoketuo County for investment due to its comparative advantages in energy and resources," said Wang Bin, the on-site project manager.
As a traditional agricultural county, how has Tuoketuo County achieved scale effects in the biomanufacturing industry? Liu Songnan, Deputy County Head in charge of industry, explained that the county is situated in the golden corn belt at 40 degrees north latitude, with an annual corn output of 450,000 tons. Within a 200-kilometer radius, annual corn production exceeds 6 million tons, providing ample raw materials for biomanufacturing enterprises. Additionally, the Datang International Tuoketuo Power Plant, as an energy base, supplies low-cost steam to biomanufacturing companies. The ongoing Energy Island compressed air supply project, once completed, will provide unified compressed air supply to biomanufacturing enterprises in the zone, reducing operational costs.
In terms of environmental protection, Inner Mongolia Jinhe Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. has built and operates four wastewater treatment systems within the zone, with a daily capacity to treat 17,000 tons of high-concentration industrial wastewater. This efficiently handles industrial wastewater generated by biomanufacturing and pharmaceutical enterprises, achieving zero discharge.
During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Tuoketuo County will fully unleash the potential of its biomanufacturing industry. Leveraging advantages in energy, environmental protection, and comprehensive support, the county will focus on extending and strengthening the industrial chain in cutting-edge fields such as synthetic biology, bio-based new materials, and high-end enzyme preparations.
"We are not simply reducing corporate costs through administrative means but lowering factor market prices through market-oriented approaches to create comprehensive cost advantages, which is conducive to building an industrial cluster," said Anda, Deputy Secretary of the Tuoketuo County Party Committee and County Head. "Tuoketuo County will continue to prioritize biomanufacturing as the main direction for developing new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions. We will systematically shape comparative advantages in investment promotion through market-oriented methods, efficiently channeling various high-quality factors into the biomanufacturing sector. Our goal is to make Tuoketuo County the preferred destination for biomanufacturing industrial investment, offering low costs, comprehensive support, and superior services."