Dabu Honey Pomelo

Dabu Honey Pomelo

Dabu Honey Pomelo is a product with geographical indication status.

　　Dabu Honey Pomelo has a history of over a thousand years, originating in the Song and Yuan dynasties, flourishing in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and gaining fame in modern times. Generation after generation has maintained the tradition of growing honey pomelos, and even today, century-old pomelo trees can still be found around the houses in Dabu’s ancient villages. It was not until 1985 that Dabu Honey Pomelo began to transition from scattered planting around homes to large-scale development. According to the *Records of Fujian Products · Fruits*, it states: “Pinghe also produces honey pomelos, with five or six fruits being sold for one qian.” It also mentions: “Pomelo varieties in central Fujian were first introduced from eastern Guangdong during the Yuan dynasty, and now surpass those in central Guangdong.” The current Pinghe Guanxi Honey Pomelo shares the same variety as the ancient pomelo trees in our county, which proves that Dabu’s honey pomelo cultivation predates that of Pinghe, Fujian, and was spread from Dabu to Pinghe. According to the *Dabu County Annals* from the Ming Jiajing, Qing Jiaqing, and Tongzhi eras, under the section on local products: “...including oranges, tangerines, and pomelos... those with pointed and small fruits are considered the best, while round and large ones are slightly inferior. Fujian varieties differ slightly, with Fujian favoring larger and rounder fruits.” This shows that Dabu County’s honey pomelos were already widely renowned during the Ming Jiajing and Qing Jiaqing-Tongzhi periods. In 2012, the China Fruit Marketing Association officially awarded Dabu County the title of “Hometown of Chinese Honey Pomelo.”

　　Honey pomelos are mainly produced in Dabu County, with a planting area of over 4,000 hectares. The fruit is well-shaped, tender-fleshed, mostly seedless or with few seeds, and has a balanced sweet-and-sour taste. It has been recognized as a premium and rare fruit of Guangdong Province.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Dabu County is located in the northeastern part of Guangdong Province, along the upper reaches of the Han River. It borders Pinghe County of Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province to the east, Meixian and Meijiang districts of Meizhou City to the west, Fengshun County of the same city and Raoping County of Chaozhou City to the south, and Yongding County of Longyan City, Fujian Province to the north. The protected production area of Dabu Honey Pomelo covers the entire Dabu County, including 15 towns and farms currently under its jurisdiction: Huliao, Baihou, Fenglang, Dadong, Guande, Taoyuan, Gaobei, -, Sanhe, Zhourui, Yinjiang, Chayang, Xihé, Qingxi, and Fengxi Forest Farm. Its geographical coordinates lie between 116°18′ to 116°56′ east longitude and 24°01′ to 24°41′ north latitude. The area spans 13,256 hectares, with a total annual output of 221,019 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Dabu Honey Pomelo ripens early, typically available around the Mid-Autumn Festival. The fruit is large with thin skin, averaging 1,250–1,500g per fruit. It is pear-shaped or inverted-oval, with a pale yellow, smooth rind and good commercial appearance. The flesh is juicy, seedless or with few seeds, has a balanced sweet-and-sour flavor, and offers a fragrant, honey-like taste. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Dabu Honey Pomelo is highly nutritious. Testing shows that its juice contains 8.5–12.3% total sugar, 3.2–5.35g total acid per kilogram, 48.93–51.98mg vitamin C per 100g, and 10.7–13.9% soluble solids. 3. Safety Requirements: The growing environment of Dabu Honey Pomelo must meet the standards for pollution-free fruit production areas, and the product quality must comply with pollution-free agricultural product standards.