Jinggangshan Kumquat

Jinggangshan Kumquat

　　Jinggangshan kumquat is a specialty of Jinggangshan City, Ji'an, Jiangxi Province. The fruit resembles a pigeon egg in shape, appearing bluish-green when unripe and golden yellow when ripe, with an attractive citrus-like form and color. Its flesh is tender, juicy, pleasantly sweet and sour, and fragrant.

　　A Hakka saying in Jinggangshan goes: "Tall for oranges, flat for tangerines, small and sweet for kumquats." Kumquats are the smallest type of citrus fruit. Kumquats have been cultivated in areas such as Xiayi and Huang'ao in Jinggangshan for over 900 years, with an annual production of more than five million jin.

　　Also known as longevity orange, the unique feature of the kumquat is that its peel is the main edible part. The best Jinggangshan kumquats come from Xiayi Hongping and Yinmukeng. The trees are short and elegant, and the fruits resemble pigeon eggs, appearing bluish-green when unripe and golden yellow when ripe, with an attractive citrus-like form and color. Their flesh is tender, juicy, pleasantly sweet and sour, and fragrant. Rich in various vitamins, carbohydrates, and other nutrients, they rank among the top in nutritional value among citrus fruits. They also offer health benefits such as anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer effects, lowering blood pressure, enhancing heart function, regulating qi, and relieving coughs, making them highly valuable medicinally.

　　Xiayi Township is known as the mountain produce hub of the Jinggangshan Scenic Area and has a long tradition of growing cash crops such as kumquats and ginger. To expand and strengthen the kumquat industry as a tourism specialty and help local farmers achieve prosperity, the Jinggangshan Scenic Area has made the development of the kumquat industry a key project for this year and the next three years. A dedicated kumquat industry development leadership team has been established. Efforts include selecting superior varieties, implementing low-yield orchard renovation, strengthening pest and disease forecasting and integrated control, promoting pollution-free production techniques, dispatching professional technicians to provide training at planting bases, and guiding fruit growers in pruning, fertilization management, flower and young fruit regulation, and pest and disease control. At the same time, brand awareness is being enhanced to strengthen the “Jinggang Kumquat” brand. Currently, the thousand-mu kumquat base in Xiayi Township has taken initial shape, with over 400 mu of newly planted kumquats and over 500 mu of low-yield orchard renovation. A kumquat professional cooperative has also been formed to guide and drive industrial development. Through the base, the kumquat industry is expanding across villages in Xiayi Township and radiating to three townships to the south and throughout the Jinggangshan Scenic Area. It is expected that this year the kumquat planting area in Xiayi Township will exceed 4,500 mu, with a yield of 4 million jin, increasing per capita income by 50 yuan.

　　Jinggangshan kumquats gained even greater fame after winning a gold medal at the 1915 Panama International Exposition, becoming widely popular both domestically and internationally.