Yuexi Black Pig

Yuexi Black Pig

The Yuexi Black Pig is a protected geographical indication product.

The Yuexi Black Pig is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　The Yuexi Black Pig originates from the Huai Pig. During the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties period (3rd–6th century), the economy of the Huaibei Plain was devastated by war and floods, leading to the southward migration of Huai Pigs to the regions along both sides of the Huai River in Anhui. Among them, those that migrated to the high-altitude, rugged hinterlands of the Dabie Mountains at the watershed between the Yangtze and Huai river basins—specifically Yuexi—were domesticated and selectively bred over time, forming a traditional local breed of black pig. The breed developed distinct quality characteristics in Yuexi’s high-altitude, steep-sloped, high-wind-speed, and high-humidity farming environment. With over 1,500 years of breeding history, the Yuexi Black Pig is known for its compact and sturdy build, lion-like facial features, thick and dense black hair, and thick wrinkled skin. Its meat boasts snow-white fat reminiscent of Han jade, ruby-red lean meat, sticky fat like glutinous rice, and fine bones like cigarette sticks. It is rich in amino acids and fatty acids, offering a deliciously fragrant and rich taste, firm yet elastic texture, earning it the reputation of “one family eating the meat fills the whole village with aroma.”

　　Since ancient times, Yuexi has had the saying “Never abandon the pig when poor, never abandon books when rich,” and this tradition has been upheld for centuries, preserving the historical practice of raising Yuexi Black Pigs. Owing to their unique quality traits, Yuexi Black Pigs have gained widespread fame across the country, with their products being sold in over 20 provinces including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Anhui. A preliminary large-scale, standardized, and industrialized production system has been established within the county. To protect the distinctive quality and reputation of Yuexi Black Pigs, preserve the breeding culture, and regulate production and development according to the law, in December 2014, Anhui Huiming Mountain Agricultural Co., Ltd.—a major developer of Yuexi Black Pigs—took the lead in establishing the Yuexi Black Pig Breeding Association. The association facilitates industry information and technology exchanges, actively organizes applications for the geographical indication certification trademark and protected geographical indication status of “Yuexi Black Pig,” builds a brand for specialty products, and leverages brand influence to drive local economic development.

　　It is understood that during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, Yuexi County will follow the principles of “industrial transformation and upgrading, premium and distinctive products, and institutional and mechanism innovation,” and pursue a development path of “project-driven advancement, corporate operation, and branded marketing” to effectively promote the development of the Yuexi Black Pig industry. The goal is to achieve an annual output of 200,000 Yuexi Black Pigs and a comprehensive output value of 1 billion yuan.