URUMQI (XINHUA) – As the camera started rolling, Yimla Yarmemet poured steaming milk and coffee into a cup-shaped naan, a traditional staple food, creating a unique ‘Naanccino’ that blends local flavours with global trends, while sitting at a coffee shop in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Donning white gloves and a sharp suit, Yimla Yarmemet, with his signature arched eyebrow and charming Xinjiang accent in his video clips, has captivated the Internet and become a viral sensation.
His videos not only make it easier for farmers to sell their produce and local specialties but also attract netizens to learn more about his hometown.
After graduating from university in 2019, Yimla Yarmemet tried several jobs in the city of Shenzhen before returning home – the Xibe Autonomous County of Qapqal – in 2020 to start an e-commerce business.
“Qapqal’s fertile lands produce premium crops, so I was thinking why not use short videos to showcase our agricultural products,” he said.
Qapqal means “granary” in the Xibe language. Located in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Qapqal is China’s only Xibe autonomous county, boasting exceptional agricultural conditions. It is home to “Qapqal Rice,” one of the country’s Agro-product Geographical Indications, in addition to other farming and herding products.
Yimla Yarmemet’s team shot to Internet fame last year with a short video introducing fish mint, a leafy green plant known for its distinctive fishy flavour and aroma. In the video, he stood in a greenhouse wearing a suit, held the plant, and took a raw bite before appearing refreshed by the grassy taste.
The video drew an influx of comments from across the country, including questions about where Qapqal is and whether fish mint grows in Xinjiang. Yimla Yarmemet and his team spent up to three hours a day responding to these comments.
“It feels amazing being able to share a real, multi-dimensional and tangible Xinjiang with more people,” said Yong Xiaolong, the cameraperson of the team.
Team director Ma Li said many farmers turned to them for help to promote their produce, and the team offered their services free of charge.
“Once, we filmed apples in a township, and a merchant who watched our video ended up ordering the entire orchard’s harvest. We were very thrilled,” Ma said.
