At Zhoushan Xifeng Aquatic Co located in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, a bustling atmosphere prevails as the company experiences a surge in orders this year.

Specializing in squid food processing, Xifeng Aquatic boasts total assets of 150 million yuan ($20.76 million) and an annual production capacity of 8,000 metric tons. Its products are popular across the European Union, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.

In the primary processing facility, workers thaw and clean squid. Meanwhile, in the advanced processing facility, over 70 employees grade the squid by size and specification, remove membranes if requested by clients, and process the squid into rings, tubes, and flowers.

Processed squid tubes are transported to be packaged. [Photo/Tide News]

In the packaging area, workers pack the products for cold storage efficiently. A shipment of 25 tons of squid rings is ready to be dispatched to Malaysia.

"We process 30 tons of raw squid daily, with production plans fully booked until May," said Ni Jianzhi, head of production.

Despite last year's raw material price hikes, which limited orders to around 260, Ni is optimistic about surpassing 300 orders this year. "Each order averages 25 tons, with a processing cycle of 4 to 5 days," he added.