Nangong Leek

Nangong Leek

　　Nangong leek is a specialty of Nangong City, Xingtai, Hebei Province. With a long history of cultivation, Nangong leeks benefit from the region’s unique soil and climate conditions, producing leeks that are known for their superior quality, tenderness, thick leaves, and delicious taste.

　　Although the cultivation of Nangong leeks has a long history, it was mostly for self-consumption due to low economic returns. A local saying went, “Wilted leeks and lumpy vegetables—too much to eat, too poor to give to in-laws.” Over the past few decades, Nangong leek farming has evolved from open-field cultivation to semi-shaded earthen sheds, then to greenhouse cultivation; from scattered planting to large-scale demonstration bases covering tens of thousands of acres; from conventional farming to pollution-free production; and from basket-selling to high-demand markets.

　　In response to the scattered and inconsistent standards of yellow leek field cultivation, the city developed a yellow leek development plan and designated demonstration areas for its cultivation. In 1999, it obtained provincial pollution-free product certification, registered the “Lüjie” (Green Clean) trademark with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce in 2001, and was named the “Hometown of Leeks in Hebei” by the Provincial Department of Agriculture in 2002. Currently, the city’s pollution-free leek production bases cover 28,000 acres, yielding 112,000 tons of pollution-free leeks annually, with an average per-acre profit exceeding 8,000 yuan and annual farmer incomes reaching 180 million yuan. The “Lüjie” brand of pollution-free leeks is now exported to major cities such as Beijing and Shijiazhuang.