Shancheng Prickly Ash

Shancheng Prickly Ash

　　Shancheng Prickly Ash is a specialty of Shancheng Subdistrict, Shanting District, Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province. The prickly ash from Yiyun Mountain in Shancheng Subdistrict has been certified as a “Pollution-Free Agricultural Product” by the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, and as a “Grade A Green Food” by the China Green Food Development Center. 　

　　Shancheng Subdistrict enjoys the reputation of being the “Hometown of Prickly Ash.” It currently has over 10,000 mu of prickly ash plantations, mainly featuring varieties such as Daqingke and Dahongpao. The annual production of prickly ash pericarp exceeds 2,000 tons, accounting for one quarter of Shandong Province’s total output and one tenth of the national total, making it one of the country’s most important prickly ash production bases. In 2001, it was awarded the title of “High-Quality Product at the China Agricultural Expo.” Six of its drug residue tests came back zero, and it was recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture as a “Green and Pollution-Free Food.” The product is sold to more than 20 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across China, and is also exported to countries such as Japan and South Korea.

　　Shancheng Subdistrict established the Yiyun Mountain Prickly Ash Production and Sales Cooperative. With interest-subsidized loans of over 2 million yuan secured from financial institutions, the cooperative purchased prickly ash particle screening machines and prickly ash blended oil extraction equipment to deeply process products such as prickly ash particles, seeds, and leaves. The refined products sell well across the country and are exported to countries and regions including South Korea and Japan, winning high praise from customers everywhere. Last year, the subdistrict was named “Zaozhuang’s No. 1 Prickly Ash Town” by the Zaozhuang Forestry Bureau, and Xiyu Village in the subdistrict was honored as “Zaozhuang’s No. 1 Prickly Ash Village.”