Weichang Carrots

Weichang Carrots

Weichang Carrots are a product with a protected geographical indication.

　　Weichang County boasts abundant natural resources. It is known as the “Hometown of Chinese Potatoes,” a national base for potato seed production, a key county for livestock development, a supply base for off-season vegetables to Beijing and Tianjin, and a timber resource base for Hebei Province. The county is also nationally recognized for its non-metallic mineral resources.

　　Located in the northeast of Hebei Province, Weichang is the largest county in the province by area. It borders Fengning Manchu Autonomous County to the west and Longhua

　　The Weichang region sits at an altitude of 750 to 2,010 meters, with significant day-night temperature variations. Thanks to its uniquely favorable climate and soil conditions, it has become one of the best-producing areas for northern vegetables. This year, the county has planted over 200,000 mu of vegetables, including more than 90,000 mu of carrots, yielding over 360,000 tons of carrots annually. The county can supply carrot resources of various grades.

　　The main varieties include over ten types such as Golden Crown, Improved Kuroda, Hongying No. 2, and High-Energy New Kuroda Five-Inch. Characteristics of these varieties: the plants grow robustly, with well-developed and plump fleshy roots; the roots are well-shaped, cylindrical, deep orange-red in color, with thick flesh and small cores; they color quickly, and have smooth surfaces on both the skin and flesh, glossy in appearance; root length is 20–22 cm, single root weight is 300–350 grams, with good quality, high content of vitamin A and sugars—making them ideal for both fresh consumption and processing.

　　Carrots (red carrots) are a specialty agricultural product of our county, and the carrot industry has been listed as one of the four leading industries in the county. In recent years, with the continuous expansion of planting area, a large carrot trading market was established in 2000. Currently, the carrot trading market is undergoing further planning, covering a total area of 58,000 square meters. It includes eight pre-cooling storage facilities capable of pre-cooling carrots, and is equipped with modern carrot washing machines, forming a trading market that provides a full range of services including procurement, washing, packaging, pre-cooling, and storage & transport.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The geographical indication protection area for Weichang carrots covers all 37 towns and 312 natural villages within the current administrative region of Weichang Manchu and Mongolian Autonomous County, Hebei Province. It borders Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia to the east, Hexigten Banner, Inner Mongolia to the north, Fengning County to the west, and Longhua County to the south. Its geographic coordinates are between 116°32′ to 118°14′ east longitude and 41°35′ to 42°40′ north latitude. The protected area spans 1.476 million mu, with a planting area of 116,000 mu, and an annual yield of 352,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Features: Weichang carrots resemble "ginseng" in shape, with roots 18–22 cm long, weighing 150–300 grams per root. They are uniform in size, with the skin, flesh, and core all in an orange-red hue. Their surface is attractive, and their taste is sweet and fragrant. 2. Internal Quality: Weichang carrots are not only palatable but also highly nutritious. Testing shows that compared to ordinary carrots, Weichang carrots contain higher levels of protein, vitamin C, beta-carotene, aspartic acid, threonine, serine, proline, glycine, alanine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, lysine, histidine, arginine, and total amino acids. 3. Quality and Safety Requirements: 3.1 Choose loose soil with deep layers, medium to high fertility, and water irrigation conditions—such as upslope land, light loam, or sandy loam—that are free from soil, water source, and air pollution. 3.2 After autumn harvest the previous year, clean the fields, perform autumn plowing to a depth of 25–30 cm, and promptly harrow and press the soil to ensure it is loose, free of clods, leftover roots, and stones, achieving optimal water retention and moisture conservation. 3.3 Use mainly farmyard manure supplemented with chemical fertilizers and biological bacterial fertilizers. Use well-rotted, high-quality farmyard manure; strictly prohibit the use of urban garbage compost and organic fertilizers contaminated with heavy metals, and ban the use of nitrate nitrogen fertilizers. 3.4 Select high-quality, high-yield, disease-resistant, storage- and transport-tolerant, and stress-resistant "three-red" (outer skin, flesh, and core all red) varieties with good quality (in terms of taste, appearance, and nutrition), such as Hongying No. 2, Zaocun Hongguan, etc. 3.5 Seed Treatment: Before sowing, dry the seeds in the sunlight for 2–3 days to remove debris, which helps improve germination rate and vigor, and prevents pests and diseases. 3.6 Pest and Disease Control: Adhere to the principle of “prevention first, integrated control.” Employ agricultural, physical, and biological control methods. Depending on the type of pest, use highly effective, low-toxicity, and residue-free pesticides permitted for green food, or cost-effective, residue-free biological pesticides such as abamectin. Product quality meets the requirements of the national agricultural industry standard “NY5085-2002 Pollution-Free Food Root Vegetables.” The production of Weichang carrots follows the “NY5085-2002 Pollution-Free Food Carrot Production Technical Regulations” and has developed the “Weichang Carrot Production Operation Procedures.”