Qingjiang Pomelo

Qingjiang Pomelo

Qingjiang Pomelo is a product with a geographical indication.

　　Qingjiang Pomelo belongs to the citrus family, Rutaceae, and is primarily produced in Yansongping Village, Yuxiakou Town, Changyang Tujia Autonomous County. Thanks to the abundant rainfall, ample sunlight, average annual temperature of 17.5°C, minimum temperature of -3°C, and an effective accumulated annual temperature of 5500°C in the Qingjiang River valley, the Qingjiang Pomelo grown under these unique climatic conditions features a well-shaped appearance, bright color, sweet and delicious taste, crisp and tender texture with no residue, weighing over 130 grams per fruit, with soluble solids content reaching over 13.5%. It is considered the finest among Changyang’s citrus fruits. It was awarded the title of Hubei Province Quality Fruit three times—in 1985, 1987, and 2000—and obtained the National Ministry of Agriculture Grade A Green Food Certificate in 2002. Since its market launch, the product has consistently been in high demand.

　　Qingjiang Pomelo has been cultivated in Changyang for nearly twenty years. In 1984, Changyang utilized United Nations loans to vigorously develop citrus in the Qingjiang River valley. Alongside large-scale introduction of honey tangerines, nearly a thousand pomelo trees were also introduced. Through natural selection, the pomelo stood out due to its superior quality among all introduced varieties. In 1989, Li Changzao began selecting individual pomelo trees in Yansongping. By 1993, he had identified three superior strains. After a year of self-propagation, pomelo cultivation gradually scaled up in 1994, and by 1996, the pomelo planting area in Yansongping Village reached over 100 acres.

　　The Changyang County Party Committee and County Government place great emphasis on pomelo production, consistently treating it as a key pathway for increasing farmers' income and a distinctive advantageous industry. Their efforts include: First, expanding the base scale. Over ten years, pomelo bases have been established in 38 villages across five towns suitable for pomelo growth. The county now has 20,000 mu of pomelo orchards, with 10,000 mu already bearing fruit. In 2002, the yield reached 1,500 tons, generating an output value of 3 million yuan. Second, improving the quality and safety of pomelos. On one hand, the “go out, bring in” approach is used to enhance technology promotion—county citrus technicians are regularly sent for training, while renowned domestic citrus experts are invited to teach practical techniques and guide production. A correspondence university for farmers has been set up in the pomelo bases, where agricultural technicians teach pomelo cultivation methods. On the other hand, target control is implemented in pomelo production, strictly limiting the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Formula fertilization and integrated pest management techniques are employed, keeping chemical fertilizer usage below 30% of total application. Third, building the pomelo brand. In 1999, the county registered the “Qing-” trademark for its pomelos, and in 2002, it obtained the national Ministry of Agriculture’s Grade A Green Food Certificate. Three citrus waxing production lines were introduced to improve grading, packaging, storage, and preservation. Premium pomelo packaging boxes were also designed and printed to enhance post-harvest commercialization. Currently, Qingjiang Pomelo has successfully entered supermarkets in cities such as Wuhan.

　　Qingjiang Pomelo has become one of the county’s regional pillar industries. The next steps focus on: First, further strengthening leading enterprises. Providing planned and targeted financial and technical support to the Qingjiang Pomelo Company to enhance its market competitiveness. Second, further building and protecting the “Qing-” pomelo brand. Gradually improving the anti-counterfeiting capabilities of dedicated packaging boxes and sealing glue to protect the brand, and using the brand to boost benefits and income. Third, scientifically adjusting the structure of early, mid, and late-maturing pomelo varieties and improving storage and preservation technologies to enable pomelo availability throughout both peak and off-peak citrus sales seasons.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Qingjiang Pomelo is a high-quality citrus variety independently developed and produced by Changyang Tujia Autonomous County, with full intellectual property rights, making it an exclusive product of the county. The regions meeting the production conditions for Qingjiang Pomelo are strictly limited to areas within the Qingjiang River basin in Hubei at altitudes below 400 meters, with an effective accumulated annual temperature of ≥10°C and over 5500°C. The natural geographic scope of the Qingjiang Pomelo origin area is between longitude 110°21′ to 111°21′ and latitude 30°12′ to 30°46′. The main production areas are seven towns in Changyang Tujia Autonomous County—Longzhouping Town, Mishi Town, Yuxiakou Town, Ziqiu Town, Yazi Kou Township, Duzhenwan Town, and Gaojiayan Town—covering 61 villages with a total area of 60,000 mu.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The fruit is flat or slightly flat-round with a short neck, the rind color ranging between orange-yellow and orange-red, thin skin, tender and smooth flesh with minimal residue, rich flavor, pleasant aroma, relatively rough surface with slightly sunken oil glands. Average single fruit weight is 160 g. It has good storage and transport resilience, and its flavor improves after storage. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Qingjiang Pomelo has a soluble solids content of 12.5%–13.5%, with sugar content of 9.3–10.0 g per 100 ml juice, acid content of 0.3–0.5 g, protein content of 0.8–1.0 g, vitamin C content of 19–20 mg, and edible rate of 71%–75%. 3. Safety Requirements: Pesticide residue levels comply with the national industry standard “Green Food Citrus.”