Fengkai Xinghua Silver Pear

Fengkai Xinghua Silver Pear

　　Fengkai Xinghua Silver Pear is mainly produced in Xinghua Town, Fengkai County, with over 130 years of cultivation history. The silver pears from Banshi Village in Xinghua Town are particularly renowned for their superior quality. This pear variety is a deciduous tree with an open canopy, bearing large, flat-round, brightly colored fruits with thin, reddish-brown skin dotted with tiny silver specks. The fruit stems are long and soft, and the largest fruits can weigh up to 375 grams. The edible portion of the fruit is 77%, with milky-white flesh. When cut with an iron knife, it does not develop a rusty layer. The flesh is crisp and juicy, known for the delightful trait of "blooming upon hitting the ground." It is juicy, tender, and has a sweet, refreshing taste. It is also known for its health benefits such as nourishing the lungs, clearing the heart, reducing internal heat, and relieving summer heat. It enjoys a great reputation both within and outside the province and is a long-established famous local specialty. The highest yield per tree can reach 600 kilograms. In 1986, it was recognized as an “Excellent and Rare Fruit Variety of Guangdong Province” and was included in the “Illustrated Guide to Excellent and Rare Fruit Varieties of Guangdong Province.”

　　Xinghua Silver Pear is one of the excellent and rare fruits in our province. Due to its superior chemical composition compared to Dongguan Pear, its sweet and refreshing taste, and rich nutrition, it can be eaten fresh or processed into dried fruits, canned goods, or used for winemaking. During the pear harvest season, merchants from Wuzhou, Shunde, Foshan, Jiangmen, Hong Kong, and Macau flock to the area to purchase them, making it a widely renowned and beloved rare sandy pear variety.

　　The main production area of Xinghua Silver Pear is around Banshi Village in Xinghua Town, Fengkai. It was introduced from Guangxi during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, about 130 years ago. Due to the high quality of the fruit and the tree’s adaptability to the local natural conditions, it has become a well-known and popular rare sandy pear variety. Even before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, when transportation was limited, the fruit was already sold to Wuzhou, Shunde, Shiqi, Foshan, Gaoyao, Jiangmen, and Xinxing. According to local residents, before agricultural collectivization, this variety was already widely acknowledged for its unique qualities.

　　Fengkai County is located in the northwest of Guangdong Province, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through its territory. It has a subtropical climate. About 95% of the soil in the region is mountainous red soil derived from coarse granite and shale parent rock, with thick surface humus, high organic content, and a soil pH of about 5–6—conditions that are very suitable for the growth requirements of sandy pears in terms of terrain and climate. After investigation and evaluation by experts from the Provincial Fruit Research Institute, it is concluded that Fengkai Xinghua Silver Pear can gradually expand from the current 5,000 mu in Xinghua Town to other towns such as Luodong, Yulao, Hekou, and Liandu.

　　In recent years, the Fengkai County Party Committee and County Government have placed great emphasis on the development of Xinghua Silver Pear. They have also established the “Fengkai County Qixianghuang Fruit Industry Co., Ltd.” to carry out purification, rejuvenation, planting demonstration, and promotion efforts. As a result, the county’s Xinghua Silver Pear cultivation has expanded to over 5,000 mu. Currently, to better develop this variety and maximize its benefits, there is a strong need to build a high-yield, high-quality Xinghua Silver Pear demonstration base. This would drive the local production of Xinghua Silver Pear, improve management standards and economic returns, boost rural economic development, and increase farmers’ incomes. Currently, the cultivation area of Xinghua Silver Pear has reached 7,900 mu, with a total output of 5,500 tons, and market demand exceeds supply. With the continuous improvement of people’s living standards, the demand for high-quality silver pears is also growing. Currently, Xinghua Silver Pear is sold in markets in the Pearl River Delta region and Wuzhou, Guangxi, at a price of 6 yuan per kilogram, demonstrating high economic value and market competitiveness. Therefore, the development of Xinghua Silver Pear holds very promising market prospects.

　　Fengkai Xinghua Silver Pear is a long-renowned local specialty in our county. With its crispy skin, juicy and tender flesh, and sweet, refreshing taste, it is highly praised both within and outside the province. It has been awarded the title of “Excellent and Rare Fruit Variety of Guangdong Province.” To accelerate the development of this distinctive brand, in recent years, our county has actively carried out purification, rejuvenation, breeding, demonstration, and promotion of Xinghua Silver Pear, driving integrated operations in production, processing, and sales. Experts from the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences and other research institutions, after on-site investigation and evaluation, believe that the “Xinghua Banshi Scenic Area” has vast potential for development and represents a great opportunity for increasing farmers’ income. In response, the County Party Committee and County Government have planned the development of Xinghua Silver Pear, selecting high-quality parent trees in Xinghua Town for rejuvenation and purification, and establishing a Xinghua Silver Pear demonstration base to promote the industrialization of fruit production and increase farmers’ incomes.