Yongchun White Muscovy Duck

Yongchun White Muscovy Duck

The Yongchun White Muscovy Duck is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The Yongchun White Muscovy Duck has pure white feathers all over its body; its beak is pinkish-red, with bright red, bead-like skin growths on the head; its shanks, toes, and webbed feet are all orange-yellow; the irises are light yellow; the skin is pale yellow, and the meat is deep red; the body is spindle-shaped, resembling an olive.

　　The Yongchun White Muscovy Duck is distributed across Taocheng Town, Huyang Town, Penghu Town, Wulijie Town, Gushan Town, Xiayang Town, Yidu Town, Kengzikou Town, Yudou Town, Jindou Town, Dapu Town, Wufeng Town, Shigu Town, Dongping Town, Dongguan Town, Guiyang Town, Sukeng Town, Xianjia Town, Hengkou Township, Chengxiang Township, Jifu Township, and Waishan Township within Yongchun County.

　　The Yongchun White Muscovy Duck has pure white feathers all over its body; its beak is pinkish-red, with bright red, bead-like skin growths on the head; its shanks, toes, and webbed feet are all orange-yellow; the irises are light yellow; the skin is pale yellow, and the meat is deep red; the body is spindle-shaped, resembling an olive. Female ducks that lay more eggs are slightly smaller in size with fuller hips.

　　According to the "Annals of Quanzhou Prefecture" compiled in 1763 (the 28th year of the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty): “The Muscovy duck resembles a duck but is as large as a goose. It hatches its own eggs and is a breed brought by foreign ships.” Through generations of breeding and selection, the White Muscovy Duck has become an excellent variety well adapted to the local conditions of Yongchun. According to the "Annals of Yongchun County" compiled in 1990: “In the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), there were 81,000 ducks raised across the county, and the industry developed rapidly in the early 1980s.” In Yongchun folklore, the White Muscovy Duck is regarded as a nourishing delicacy. The nationally renowned dish “Yongchun White Duck Soup” enjoys fame across the country, and among the locals, there is a popular health remedy — “White Duck Stewed with Pickled Vegetables” (Note: the white duck refers to the White Muscovy Duck, and the pickled vegetables are a local specialty).

　　The geographical indication protection area of the Yongchun White Muscovy Duck covers 22 towns and 236 villages currently under the jurisdiction of Yongchun County. The geographical coordinates are between 117°41′55″ to 118°31′9″ east longitude and 25°13′15″ to 25°33′45″ north latitude, with a total protected area of 1,451.8 square kilometers. The annual slaughter volume is 1 million ducks, and the annual output is 3,500 tons.