Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil

Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil

Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil is a traditional edible oil from Lian Nan Yao Autonomous County, with a long history dating back to the Tang Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi era, it was an officially endorsed premium species, promoted throughout the Yao region into the expansive Bai Li Yao Mountains where it quickly flourished over 30,000 mu. Currently, the area of camellia forests in Lian Nan spans 105,000 mu, with 60,000 mu producing fruit, yielding about 600 tons of camellia oil annually. Not only is Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil clear, sweet, and free from bitterness, but it also offers medicinal benefits such as anti-inflammatory effects, detoxification, removal of skin blemishes, relief from convulsions, and treatment of high blood lipids. It is widely loved by consumers, and visitors to Lian Nan often purchase it as a gift for friends and family.

　　To address development challenges for Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil, enhance the quality and grade of this distinctive product, boost its recognition, promote the growth of the local camellia oil industry, and increase income for Yao people in the oil-producing areas, in May 2007, the Lian Nan County government applied for Geographical Indication Product protection for Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil. Seizing this opportunity, they also introduced a green camellia oil refining enterprise with an investment of over 20 million yuan and an annual processing capacity of one thousand tons of camellia oil.

　　The successful application for Geographical Indication Product status for Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil and the introduction of the refined oil processing plant have greatly propelled the development of the local camellia oil industry. Thanks to the brand effect of the Geographical Indication Product and the uniqueness of the resource, many have come to Lian Nan for on-site inspections. Another enterprise is now preparing to set up operations in Lian Nan to produce and sell Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil. In 2006, the purchase price for camellia seeds ranged between 5.2–5.6 yuan/kg, while crude oil fetched 24–26 yuan/kg. By 2008, seed prices rose to 8.4–9.6 yuan/kg and crude oil to 42–50 yuan/kg. Since the implementation of Geographical Indication Product protection, the income from processing and selling Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil in the county’s oil-producing regions reached 23.4 million yuan, representing an increase of approximately 12.6 million yuan—more than double compared to before the protection status. Yao people living in the camellia forest areas of Lian Nan saw their incomes more than double, greatly boosting their enthusiasm for planting camellia trees. They began transforming barren hills into valuable assets, reclaiming large areas to cultivate camellia trees.

　　The protected geographical indication area for Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil is defined according to the “Letter Regarding the Application to Designate the Production Area of Lian Nan Yao Shan Camellia Oil” (Nan Fu Han [2007] No. 14) issued by the People’s Government of Lian Nan Yao Autonomous County, Guangdong Province, covering the entire current administrative region of Lian Nan Yao Autonomous County, Guangdong Province.