Tea Shed Tomatoes

Tea Shed Tomatoes

　　Tea Shed Tomatoes are a specialty of Chaping Township, Funing County, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province. The "Chaping" brand tomatoes are not only well-known in the Beijing and Tianjin markets but also sell well across the three northeastern provinces. In 2008, they were awarded the title of Famous Trademark of Hebei Province.

　　Chaping Township is situated in the western part of Funing County, 9.5 kilometers from the county seat and 40 kilometers from Qinhuangdao City. Its eastern and southern borders adjoin Funing Town, while it lies to the west of Lulong County and to the north of Taiying Town. The township administers 38 administrative villages, covering a total area of 114 square kilometers, with 56,000 mu of arable land and a population of 40,000 people, resulting in 1.43 mu of arable land per capita. Chaping Township is a semi-mountainous region, with plains in the east where the terrain is flat, the soil layer is deep, and the earth is fertile—ideal for growing vegetables, corn, and other crops. The western part consists of shallow mountainous areas with more barren hills and sloping farmland, suitable for sweet potato cultivation and fruit forestry. It is one of the key agricultural townships in Funing County.

　　As a key initiative to optimize the agricultural structure and increase farmers’ incomes, the tomato industry has long been a pillar sector of Chaping Township. Currently, the tomato planting area spans 13,860 mu, accounting for 24% of the township’s total arable land. It yields 60 million kilograms of tomatoes annually, generating an output value of 220 million yuan. This not only creates substantial benefits for local farmers but also earned the township the title of "China's Hometown of Tomatoes" during the "China Outstanding Specialty Industry Base Brand Promotion Exhibition" held at the China Urban Investment and Development Conference—an honor it uniquely claimed nationwide in that selection.