Puning Olives

Puning Olives

　　Olives, also known as green olives, are one of the major traditional fruit crops in Puning. With a long cultivation history, they are grown throughout the city, with key production areas including Lihu, Meitang, Hongyang, Guangtai, Shipai, Gaopu, and Chuanpu. The highest yield from a single tree is from a riverside olive tree in Hongrao, Yunluo, which produces 1,250 kilograms annually. The city has over 3,000 hectares under olive cultivation, with a total output of 4,000 tons, ranking first in the nation. Green olives can be eaten fresh and are known for their medicinal benefits, such as clearing phlegm, soothing coughs, cooling the throat, and aiding digestion. During the Spring Festival, locals often place green olives on the table to serve guests, referring to them as "betel nuts." Fresh green olives are suitable for preservation and transportation; when stored properly, they can remain available even in April and May of the following year. Green olives can also be processed into premium preserved delicacies such as olive preserves, Suzhou-style olives, eight-treasure olives, Heshun olives, and peeled olives.

　　(Jieyang, Puning)