Xingshan Mandarin

Xingshan Mandarin

Xingshan Mandarin is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Xingshan Mandarin is grown along the banks of the Xiangxi River in Xiakou Town, Zhaojun Town, Nanyang Town, and Gufu Town, where the landscape is picturesque and the environment is pristine. With a long cultivation history, Xingshan Mandarin was discovered during Mr. Zhang Wencai’s large-scale, community-driven citrus variety selection efforts in western Hubei’s citrus-producing regions. It originated as a branch mutation from the “Goose Egg Mandarin No. 26” orchard in Chenjiawan, Zhaojun Town, Xingshan County. This variety is high-yielding, adaptable, and produces uniformly sized, oval-shaped fruits that are bright orange-red, sweet and tangy with balanced flavor, juicy and aromatic, mostly seedless or with few seeds, and of superior quality—especially suitable for storage and processing. In 1986, Xingshan Mandarin was recognized as a high-quality agricultural product by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, winning a gold cup award. It was also named a high-quality fruit of Hubei Province in 1989, 1991, and 1994; received a silver award at the Second China Agricultural Expo in 1995; was honored as a famous brand product at the China International Agricultural Expo in 2001; and was listed as an advantageous product of Hubei Province in 2002 and 2004. By 2014, the planting area reached 30,000 mu, with an annual output of 40,000 tons. The product is sold in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Dalian, as well as in countries including Russia and Kazakhstan.

　　Xingshan County is part of the Three Gorges Reservoir region and is the hometown of Wang Zhaojun, one of China’s Four Great Ancient Beauties. The area boasts beautiful scenery, a pristine environment, abundant resources, and a long history of citrus production dating back to 1862, primarily yielding mandarins and navel oranges. The county has a total citrus cultivation area of 85,000 mu and an annual output of 70,000 tons. Xingshan Mandarin is a citrus variety developed in the early 1970s by Mr. Zhang Wencai, a renowned Chinese pomologist, horticultural educator, citrus expert, and one of the founding figures of citrus science. He led teachers and students from the Yichang Branch of Huazhong Agricultural University in conducting extensive, community-based citrus variety selection in western Hubei’s citrus-growing areas. Together with technical personnel from the Xingshan County Specialty Bureau, they discovered a branch mutation in the “Goose Egg Mandarin No. 26” orchard in Chenjiawan, Gaoyang Town, Xingshan County. This mutation was then propagated as a single plant to create the Xingshan Mandarin variety. The fruit is oval-shaped, with smooth, bright orange-red skin, tender and easy-to-separate flesh, a well-balanced sweet and tangy flavor, rich juice, a strong aroma, and is mostly seedless or with few seeds—making it a high-quality citrus.

　　Applicant: Xingshan Fumin Citrus Professional Cooperative

　　Region: 2013

　　Geographical Scope

　　Xingshan Mandarin is primarily produced in four towns of Xingshan County: Xiakou, Zhaojun, Gufu, and Nanyang. The protected geographical indication area spans longitude 110°36′–110°52′ and latitude 31°05′–31°25′. This includes areas from Pingshui in Gufu Town in the north; to Yangdahe in Xiakou Town in the east; to Youjiahe in Xiakou Town in the south; and to Cangpinghe in Nanyang Town in the west, bordering the Shennongjia Forest District. The total production area is 23,000 mu, with an annual yield of 21,640 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: The fruit is oval-shaped, weighing over 200 grams per piece, suitable for both fresh consumption and processing, and has good storage capability. The skin is bright orange-red, vibrant, and smooth, with a flat or slightly concave apex. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: The flesh is tender, easy to separate, sweet and tangy with balanced flavor, rich in juice, aromatic, and mostly seedless or with few seeds. It stores well, with an edible rate of ≥70%, soluble solids content of ≥10%, titratable acid content of ≤1.0%, and vitamin C content of ≥24mg/100mg. 3. Safety Requirements: Pesticide residue levels must not exceed national food safety standards. Product quality complies with the regulations of NY/T426-2000.