A plate of sliced Spanish ham. [Photo/Lishui Daily]

Qingtian county in Lishui, East China's Zhejiang province, is building a ham slicing factory to tap into the global market for Spanish ham, a delicacy made from Iberian pigs.

Spanish ham, also known as "hamon", is a cured ham product that undergoes a long process of drying and fermentation. It has a unique flavor and texture that is loved by many consumers.

Today, many Qingtian natives run businesses in Spain where they have established connections and resources in the ham trade. As such, the county is now one of the major importers and distributors of Spanish ham in China. In fact, it sells more than 200 million yuan ($27.42 million) worth of Spanish ham annually.

In July this year, Qingtian obtained the first national production license for imported ready-to-eat fermented ham products, which allows it to slice and sell Spanish ham locally. This will make the product more convenient and affordable for customers.

The country's first hamon slicing factory, which is invested by a State-owned company and four overseas Chinese enterprises, is also under construction and expected to start operations in Qingtian soon.