As the main production area of dendrobium raw materials in the world, China holds a core position in the global supply chain. Thanks to their unique climatic advantages, the planting area of Yunnan, Zhejiang and Guangxi provinces and autonomous regions accounts for 78% of the global total. In 2023, the global planting area of dendrobium reached 152,000 hectares, and the annual output remained at a level of 43,000 tons. However, the raw material supply link still faces many challenges. Due to the long planting cycle, the payback period of enterprise investment has been delayed. Meanwhile, the frequent occurrence of extreme weather has increased the risk of natural disasters and affected the stability of production. Moreover, the increasing scarcity of wild resources and the rising cost of artificial cultivation have brought certain pressure to the development of the industry.

The continuous improvement of production technology levels has driven the optimization and upgrading of technical routes. Supercritical CO2 extraction technology has become the mainstream process due to its advantages such as high extraction efficiency and no solvent residue. Membrane separation technology is favored for its strong selectivity and high retention rate of effective components. The application rate of biological enzymatic hydrolysis technology has increased to 40%, and its green and environmentally friendly characteristics meet the sustainable development needs of the industry.

The application of Dendrobium extract is showing a diversified development trend. The health supplement sector holds the largest share of 45%, mainly used for developing functional products that enhance immunity, improve sleep and combat fatigue. The field of pharmaceutical raw materials accounts for 30%, and it shows good application prospects in traditional Chinese medicine compound preparations, innovative drug research and development, and medical and health care products. The functional food sector accounts for 15%, mainly applied in the development of sports nutrition foods, health beverages and special dietary supplements. Although the cosmetic raw materials sector accounts for only 10%, it has considerable potential for development in niche markets such as skin care product additives, anti-aging formulas, and functional mask materials.

In recent years, the dendrobium extract industry has made remarkable breakthroughs in technological innovation. The biological fermentation extraction technology has achieved a 35% increase in yield, significantly reduced production costs, and promoted the development of the process towards a more environmentally friendly and green direction. The application of ultrasonic-assisted extraction technology has reduced energy consumption by 50%, shortened extraction time and improved product quality. The introduction of molecular imprinting technology has significantly enhanced the purity of active ingredients, improved batch-to-batch stability, and promoted the improvement of product standardization levels.
In terms of product research and development direction, the industry focuses on innovation centered on enhancing bioavailability. Through the design of nanoscale particles, the development of sustained-release and controlled-release technologies, and targeted delivery systems, the utilization efficiency of the products is continuously improved. Meanwhile, the development of compound extracts has also become an important direction. Through the synergistic effect of multiple components, the efficacy is enhanced, and new dosage forms are actively explored to meet the needs of different application scenarios.