Reviving Apple Pomelo

Reviving Apple Pomelo

The Reviving Apple Pomelo is a product with geographical indication status.

　　Apple pomelo is an outstanding local variety of pomelo. Its fruit is flat and round, resembling an apple, hence the name "apple pomelo." It is highly favored for its excellent quality, abundant juice, and crisp flesh. As a unique local pomelo variety in Fuxingchang Town, it earned its name during the time when Marshal He Long was stationed in Lizhou, praising its delicious taste and apple-like appearance. With its thin skin, juicy flesh, crisp texture, and distinctive flavor, the apple pomelo enjoys strong market demand, now generating over ten thousand yuan in income per mu. The town has prioritized the development of apple pomelo as a high-efficiency specialty industry. New apple pomelo orchards receive a subsidy of 500 yuan per mu per year for growers who switch to cultivating the fruit. Professor Xu Zhaolin from Changde Vocational Technical College has been appointed as a technical advisor for apple pomelo production. He regularly assists growers in resolving various issues encountered during production. Growers follow the "Apple Pomelo Production Technical Regulations" for standardized management, with technicians strictly supervising key processes such as seedling transplanting, grafting, soil-fertilizer-water management, and harvesting/packaging. In December last year, the apple pomelo successfully passed the on-site evaluation by the provincial Department of Agriculture, earning the China Green Food Development Center’s certification as a "Grade A Green Food Product." In August this year, it received the "Geographical Indication Registration for Agricultural Products" certificate issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Hunan

　　Geographical Scope

　　Fuxingchang Town in Li County is located in the northern part of Li County, bordering Zhangzhuangpu in Hubei, Shuanglong Township, Mengxi Town, Yanjing Town, and Leigongta Town of Li County. It spans longitude 111°46′31″ to 111°53′30″ and latitude 29°47′51″ to 29°52′46″, encompassing 17 natural administrative villages, one neighborhood committee, one horticultural farm, and one reservoir management office. The area features typical low hills and gentle slopes. This application designates the region at elevations between 50–60 meters as the protected geographical indication production area for apple pomelo, covering a total cultivation area of 1,600 hectares (including: Xindang Village 88.4 ha, Lujia Village 116.7 ha, Tanjiayu Reservoir 5.3 ha, Lijia Village 72.3 ha, Weijia Village 69.2 ha, Shuangqiao Village 91.6 ha, Wenquan Village 80.8 ha, Tianhe Village 89.9 ha, Lujia Village 91.1 ha, Fuxingchang Village 74.3 ha, Shuangyan Village 138.9 ha, Wansong Village 76.4 ha, Tanjiayu Village 103 ha, Jinpen Village 55.9 ha, Taohuayuan Neighborhood Committee 27.6 ha, Xiajia Village 88.7 ha, Youxing Village 124.9 ha, Tonggu Village 99.3 ha, Chengang Village 62.7 ha, and the horticultural farm 43 ha).

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics. Since apple pomelo has a slow acid reduction rate, it should not be harvested prematurely but only when fully ripe (mid-to-late December). The fruit is flat in shape, smooth-skinned, and golden yellow when fully matured; each fruit weighs about 1 kg, with the largest reaching up to 1.5 kg. Handle fruits gently during harvesting, removing the stems to minimize mechanical damage. Harvest in batches—pick the riper fruits first rather than harvesting all at once. 2. Internal Quality Indicators. The flesh is semi-transparent milky white (beige), aromatic, with small and numerous seeds averaging 137 per fruit; the peel is about 1 cm thick, with dense oil glands, relatively hard, and a sponge layer about 0.8 cm thick. The fruit has a soluble solids content of 10–12%, total sugar content of 6.5–8.5 g/100 ml, total acid content of 0.5–0.9 g/100 ml, juice yield of 35.0–45.0%, and vitamin content of 65–75 mg/100 ml. The flesh is crisp and tender, juicy with a rich flavor, well-balanced sweetness and acidity, melts smoothly with little residue, and offers a uniquely delightful taste. 3. Safety Requirements: Reviving Apple Pomelo complies with the "Green Food Citrus" (NY/T426-2000) standard. The product meets the requirements of the "People's Republic of China Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law," the "State Council Special Provisions on Strengthening the Supervision and Management of Food and Other Product Safety," and other relevant regulations and laws.