Ningjin Snow Pears

Ningjin Snow Pears

　　Ningjin Snow Pears

　　Ningjin Snow Pears belong to the white pear category and are commonly known as "Snow Pears." They are large, sweet, and snow-white, fairer than frost and whiter than snow, making them a precious variety, also referred to as "Ivory Pears." The "Snow Pears" of Ningjin have a long history. The flesh of Ningjin Snow Pears is sweet, fragrant, crisp, and juicy. They are high-yield, high-quality, early-maturing, and resistant to storage. In spring, their blossoms bloom in April, transforming the pear orchards into vast snowy fields. By early to mid-September, they ripen, producing golden fruits in abundance, filling the air with their fragrance. On average, each pear weighs between 225 and 300 grams, with 10–15% weighing over 500 grams. They contain 12% soluble solids, 6.4% soluble sugar, and 0.08% titratable acid. After storage, their sugar content increases to 15–16%, and they are rich in fat, protein, minerals, carbohydrates, and various vitamins, offering both nutrition and a sweet, crisp taste. In 1987, they won first place in the Hebei Province Fruit Quality Evaluation. In 1990, during the 11th Asian Games held in Beijing, Ningjin Snow Pears were designated as an official product.

　　Ningjin Snow Pears have a long cultivation history. As they were historically under the jurisdiction of Zhaozhou, they are collectively called Zhaozhou Snow Pears. Lu Yu noted in his “Discourse on Jizhou”: “Shangshan (which included Zhaozhou) produces excellent pears, a true regional treasure.” The “Guangzhi” by Guo Yigong of the Jin Dynasty recorded: “Shangshan, Zhengding,… Julu—all produce pears. The Guangdu Pear (also called the Julu Giant Pear) weighs six jin (approximately 1.5 kilograms), enough for several people to share.” Villages such as Zhaoyangbei, Dianhuying, and Haozhuang still have large areas of century-old Snow Pear trees. Among them, a centuries-old Snow Pear tree in Zhaoyangbei Village is over 140 years old, with deep roots and lush foliage, yielding over 1,000 kilograms of pears annually.

　　In 1972, there were 277 hectares of Snow Pear orchards, with a total yield of 1,081.25 tons. Twelve townships including Sima, Shuangjing, Dayangzhuang, Tangqiu, Zhongcao, Xiaoliucun, and Yaotai all cultivated them. By 1984, the area planted with Snow Pears had expanded to 748.6 hectares, with a total yield of 9,772.7 tons—1.7 times and eight times higher than in 1972 in terms of area and total yield, respectively.

　　In 1990, the area under Snow Pear cultivation reached 1,048.2 hectares, with a total yield of 8,255 tons. By 1993, this had increased to 4,021 hectares, yielding 32,869 tons—an increase of 2.8 times in area and 2.98 times in yield compared to 1990. These pears were grown across 31 townships (towns) including Shuangjing, Sujiazhuang, Liulu, Hekou, Yingtai, Dongwang, Sunjiazhuang, Biancun, and Lijiaying. In 1995, the Snow Pear area covered 7,579 hectares, producing 74,460 tons—an 88.5% increase in area and a 126.5% increase in yield from 1993. By 2008, the total Snow Pear yield reached 144,551 tons, ranking second in the world.