Jingzhou Poria Cocos

Jingzhou Poria Cocos

Jingzhou Poria Cocos is a geographical indication certification trademark.

Jingzhou Poria Cocos is a product certified with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Poria Cocos is one of the specialty products of Jingzhou in Huaihua, Hunan. It is a type of fungus plant with a long history.

　　Production Area: The Huaihua region boasts abundant Poria Cocos resources, especially those from Jingzhou, which are renowned nationwide and famous worldwide. Jingzhou County is located in the southwestern border of Hunan and serves as a transportation hub and distribution center for goods among Hunan, Guangxi, and Guizhou provinces. It borders Suining to the east, Tongdao to the south, Liping and Jinping of Guizhou to the west, and Huitong to the north. The more than ten adjacent counties and cities form one of China’s major southern forested areas, with soil and climate conditions highly suitable for the growth of timber and medicinal herbs. Since ancient times, the area has been rich in medicinal resources, with over 1,400 types of medicinal plants covering an area of 600,000 mu. Jingzhou County alone grows 1,240 types of medicinal plants on nearly 100,000 mu, primarily including Poria Cocos, Gastrodia elata, Phellodendron, and Gallnut. Among these, Poria Cocos accounts for 13.3% of the national output, and its export volume makes up 70% of the national total. Currently, Jingzhou County has built the largest specialized Poria Cocos market in the country. The market has a total investment of 24 million yuan, covers an area of 80,000 square meters, and has a construction area of 60,000 square meters. It can accommodate 5,000 traders simultaneously, with an annual trading volume accounting for 60% of the national total. Nationally, Poria Cocos is mainly produced in over 100 counties across 12 provinces including Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Fujian, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Henan, with an annual output of 30,000 tons. Hunan contributes one-third of the national output, the Huaihua region produces 7,000 tons annually, and Jingzhou alone yields 6,000 tons, with an annual processing and trading volume reaching 10,000 tons. The county has become one of the largest Poria Cocos processing and trading markets in the country, with exports accounting for 70% of the national total.

　　Characteristics: “Poria Cocos” is a type of polypore fungus, mostly growing at the roots of red or masson pine trees. It is a dark brown, dried sclerotium used in medicine. The main components of Poria Cocos include pachyman, pachymic acid, protein, histidine, ergosterol, and potassium salts. It has diuretic, dampness-expelling, spleen-strengthening, and calming effects. Its diameter generally ranges from 20–30 cm, and it can weigh between 1–15 kg. According to *Compendium of Materia Medica*, Poria Cocos has medicinal properties such as reducing swelling, detoxifying, clearing heat, and promoting urination. It also offers therapeutic benefits for nourishing the heart and calming the spirit, as well as functions like improving skin luster, reducing fat, and aiding in weight loss and body beautification. Research from domestic medical institutions and foreign studies have shown that Poria Cocos contains various effective elements beneficial to humans, namely “anti-aging factors” and “anti-cancer factors.” This has drawn strong interest from many countries around the world.

　　Jingzhou Poria Cocos

　　Location: Hunan

　　Applicant: Jingzhou Miao-Dong Autonomous County Poria Cocos Association

　　Year of Application: 2014

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic indication area for Jingzhou Poria Cocos agricultural products includes 15 townships and management committees in Jingzhou County: Gantang Town, Taiyangping Township, Dabaozi Town, Sanqiu Township, Aoshang Town, Genshankou Management Committee, Feishan Management Committee, Jiangdong Management Committee, Wenxi Township, Zhaiya Township, Hengjiangqiao Township, Pukou Township, Outuan Township, Xinchang Town, and Pingcha Town. It spans from Zhachong Village in Wenxi Township in the east, to Dijiao Village in Xinchang Town in the south, to Tongluo Village in Dabaozi Town in the west, and to Jili Village in Taiyangping Township in the north. The geographic coordinates are between 109°16′14″ to 109°56′36″ east longitude and 26°15′25″ to 26°47′35″ north latitude. The total protected area is 30,000 hectares, with an annual output of approximately 40,000 tons.