Si Hui Gonggan (Imperial Mandarin)

Si Hui Gonggan

　　Gonggan is a renowned premium variety of citrus in our city with a long cultivation history. Owing to its exceptional quality, it was presented as tribute to the imperial court during the Ming and Qing dynasties, hence the name "Gonggan" (Imperial Mandarin). The fruit is goose-egg shaped, weighing 100–130 grams per piece, with an edible rate of 82.8%. Its peel is thin, smooth, and golden yellow. The flesh is translucent, crisp, juicy, easy to separate from the peel, sweet, and has a unique aromatic flavor. It contains relatively few seeds — an average of 6.8 per fruit — and has 13.5% soluble solids, 12.7% total sugar, and 12.78 mg of vitamin C. It is truly a gem among the citrus varieties in our province. The fruit begins to ripen in late November and is best harvested in early December. Yield is moderate, with an average output of about 2,000 kilograms per mu during peak production periods.

　　(Si Hui)