Nanlinjiao Lotus Root

Nanlinjiao Lotus Root

Nanlinjiao Lotus Root is a product certified with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　The Nanlinjiao Longwangchi Lotus Planting Professional Cooperative of Quwo County is located in Nanlinjiao Village, Beidong Township, Quwo County. It currently has 109 members, including 50 scientifically skilled farmers with intermediate-level professional titles, and covers a lotus root planting area of 1,000 mu. The cooperative produces 1.5 million kilograms of lotus root annually, with total assets of 9 million yuan and an annual profit of 7 million yuan.

　　Lotus root, commonly called "lotus vegetable," is rich in protein and starch. Conventionally cultivated lotus root typically yields around 2,000–3,000 jin per mu, requiring high labor input, producing low yields, poor returns, and making it difficult to develop into a large-scale industry. However, by adopting modern high-yield cultivation techniques, the input is lower, the yield is higher, the quality is better, generally reaching about 10,000 jin per mu, with an economic benefit of 30,000–40,000 yuan per mu. This is the essential path for developing the lotus root industry.

　　 Geographic Scope

　　Quwo County is located at the southern end of the Linfen Basin in Shanxi Province. To the north, it borders the remaining ranges of the Taihang Mountains — including the Tashan, Qiaoshan, and Ludingshan mountains; to the west, it neighbors Xiangfen County along the Fen River; to the south, it adjoins Jiang County across the remaining ridges of the Zhongtiao Mountain range, particularly the Zijinshan Mountain; to the east, it connects with Yicheng County; and to the west, it lies adjacent to Houma City. The county covers a total area of 437.9 square kilometers. The northern and southern parts of Quwo County are mountainous, the eastern part features continuous rolling hills, while the majority of the rest consists of flat plains and basins. The terrain is flat, water resources are abundant, transportation is convenient, and the soil is fertile. The Nanlinjiao lotus root cultivation area is situated in the southern part of Quwo County, within the geographic coordinates of 35°33′–35°51′ north latitude and 110°24′–110°37′ east longitude. It involves 12 major administrative villages including Nanlinjiao, Beilinjiao, Dongmingde, Ximingde, Baishui, Jingming, Yingli, Xiapai Zhuang, Shangpai Zhuang, Jiaoli, Henanxi, and Xizhou, covering a total area of 380 hectares with an annual production of 17,400 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The lotus root is the enlarged underground rhizome of the lotus plant. The Nanlinjiao lotus root is a local ancient variety known as White Lotus. The produce is mostly spindle-shaped with irregular edges, uniformly sized, and has skin as white as jade. Depending on the season of harvest, it is categorized into fresh lotus root and mature lotus root. Fresh lotus root is available around the Mid-Autumn Festival, suitable for both raw and cooked consumption, while mature lotus root can be marketed year-round, preferably cooked. Both types have their unique characteristics. 2. Internal Quality: Nanlinjiao lotus root is highly nutritious, crisp with no residue, sweet and juicy in taste. When broken, it can stretch into threads and emits a distinctive fragrant aroma. Its commercial quality is excellent. Test results show: moisture content 78.8g/100g, starch 11.5%, vitamin C 56.2mg/100g, total dietary fiber 2.3%, crude polysaccharides 2.4%, total flavonoids 0.1%. 3. Safety Requirements: The growing environment of Nanlinjiao lotus root meets the criteria of NY5331-2006 “Environmental Conditions for the Production Areas of Pollution-Free Aquatic Vegetables.” During the production process, the standards of NY5238-2005 “Technical Regulations for the Production of Pollution-Free Aquatic Vegetables” are strictly implemented. The final products comply with the safety indicators of the industry standard “Pollution-Free Lotus Root” issued by the People’s Republic of China. Packaging and labeling must conform to the “Administrative Measures for the Packaging and Labeling of Agricultural Products” issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. Products entering the market must also comply with the “Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law” and other relevant laws and regulations. Corrugated cartons must follow GB6543 standards, plastic bags must adhere to GB4456 and GB588–89 standards, and plastic boxes must comply with GB8868–88 “Vegetable Plastic Circulation Boxes.”