A worker sorts parcels at a distribution center in Chenzhou, Hunan province. (Photo by Cao Gaolin/For China Daily)

China"s parcel delivery sector has handled more than 40 billion parcels as of Thursday, demonstrating economic recovery and reflecting growth in consumer confidence, according to the State Post Bureau of China.

It took 24 more days for the sector to handle the same number of parcels last year, and in 2019, it took four more months.

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During the recent May Day holiday, the delivery sector remained busy.

Nearly 1.5 billion parcels were delivered and collected during the five-day break, with the daily figure up by 11.64 percent from the same period last year and 4 million couriers continued to work. In Zibo, Shandong province, a city that has become popular with tourists for its barbecue, temporary parcel delivery stations were set up so that tourists could send local specialties, especially food, across the country.

In Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, parcel delivery companies collaborated with scenic areas, hotels and transport hubs to offer free delivery services so that tourists were able to post souvenirs home instead of packing them in their luggage.

In Maoming, Guangdong province, parcel delivery companies have extended the collection to the fields and improved packaging to product quality for the litchi season.

The parcel delivery sector has broadened sales channels for specialty products and promoted the growth of many products with regional characteristics, such as seafood from Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and cantaloupe from Turpan in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

With the implementation of a series of policies to promote consumption and cargo movement, the express delivery sector has been integrated with regional specialty producers. More and more agricultural produce and local specialty produce can be quickly delivered to all parts of the country through the delivery network, which has become an important force in promoting economic growth, the bureau said.

The vitality of the delivery market continues to rise, and the willingness of companies to invest remains high, according to Zeng Junshan, director of the bureau"s policy and regulation department.

China"s parcel delivery industry has undergone rapid development over the past decade with volumes increasing from 5.6 billion items in 2012 to 110 billion items last year.