Shuangpai Kiwifruit

Shuangpai Kiwifruit

　　Shuangpai kiwifruit is a specialty of Shuangpai County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province. The main kiwifruit varieties grown in Shuangpai County are Zaoxian, Jinfeng, and Kuimi. Shuangpai kiwifruit is large in size, thin-skinned, sweet in taste, with a sugar content of up to 12%, offering a well-balanced sweet and sour flavor and excellent texture, making it very popular among consumers.

　　The naturally scattered kiwifruit distribution area in Shuangpai County covers 1,400 hectares, mainly comprising the varieties Actinidia chinensis, Actinidia trichogyna, and Actinidia latifolia, with an annual output of about 100 tons. Since 1987, the county has included the artificial cultivation of Actinidia chinensis as part of its comprehensive mountain development projects. The main cultivated varieties are Zaoxian, Jinfeng, and Kuimi, and 15 high-quality varieties from both domestic and international sources have been introduced, laying a solid foundation for future large-scale development. To date, the artificially cultivated area amounts to 200 hectares, with an annual production of 200 tons. In 1999, Shuangpai-grown Actinidia chinensis was awarded the Gold Quality Award for Hunan Provincial Premium Fruits (kiwifruit).

　　Kiwifruit produced in Shuangpai County is cultivated under near-wild conditions and fertilized with high-quality organic farm manure. The annually produced Actinidia chinensis is large, with an average fruit weight of over 80 grams, thin-skinned, sweet, with a sugar content of 12%, and a well-balanced sweet and sour flavor that is highly favored by consumers. Yongjiang Township is the main production area for Actinidia chinensis. In addition to being eaten fresh, kiwifruit can be made into jams, canned goods, or used for winemaking. In recent years, Shuangpai County has engaged in the artificial domestication and cultivation of kiwifruit, initially establishing several high-quality kiwifruit cultivation bases. It has also organized the processing of kiwifruit wine and kiwifruit soda, which are sold to regions such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Hebei, Jiangsu, and Hong Kong.