Puxian Potatoes

Puxian Potatoes

Puxian Potatoes are a product with geographical indication status.

　　Puxian boasts high altitude, low temperatures, ample sunshine, significant diurnal temperature differences, and loose soil texture, offering ideal conditions for potato production. Since 2009, the potato industry has been designated as one of the county’s key agricultural sectors. Although the industry has achieved initial scale in recent years, many segments remain in the phase of extensive management. The poverty alleviation development project for the potato industry is based on a “company + cooperative + farmer” model. It supports two leading poverty alleviation enterprises—Xinyuan Potato Industry Co., Ltd. and Changyuan Agricultural Products Processing Co., Ltd.—and establishes a “three-tier seed potato” breeding base, a thousand-mu high-quality, high-yield potato demonstration base, a 50,000-mu production and planting base, five potato professional cooperatives, and provides full-process technical guidance and training services to growers within the area, reaching 4,600 participants. The implementation of this poverty alleviation project has enhanced the technological level of the county’s potato industry, promoted its robust development, and gradually formed an integrated industrial chain from “seed potato production – field cultivation – deep processing – product sales.” This has led to a more mature and comprehensive potato industry in the county.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Puxian is located in the southern part of Shanxi Province, at the southern end of the Lüliang Mountains and the northwest of Linfen City, forming part of the loess hilly and gully region of northwestern Shanxi. The county administers 4 towns and 5 townships, with 93 village committees and 640 natural villages, covering a total area of 1,510.61 square kilometers. The terrain of Puxian is mountainous on the east, south, and north sides, broadly divided into the earthen and stony mountainous area in the eastern part of the county and the residual cliff and gully area in the western part. The central and western regions consist of loess ridge landforms, mostly covered with loess. The potato cultivation area of Puxian is situated in the central-western part of the county, at elevations between 1,000 and 1,500 meters, with an average elevation of 1,300 meters. Its geographical coordinates are between 36°20′27″–36°33′33″ north latitude and 110°51′09″–111°12′03″ east longitude. The area involves 40 administrative villages across 5 towns: Hongdao, Pucheng, Xueguan, Guxian, and Shanzhong. Specifically: Hongdao Township (9 villages): Xipingyuan, Erlizhen, Hongdao, Baozi, Handian, Baidian, Taifu, Gupo, and Menggu; Pucheng Town (4 villages): Caojiazhuang, Nianwa, Jingpo, and Taowan; Guxian Township (8 villages): Guxian, Xialiu, Haoyi, Wencheng, Pandi, Renyi, Cao, and Bai; Xueguan Town (12 villages): Xueguan, Jinggou, Guyi, Lyuedong, Qiaozitan, Quanxue, Folian, Nanliu, Diaoping, Buzhu, Tianquan, and Changjiawan; Shanzhong Township (7 villages): Jundi, Shankou, Xiajinding, Zaojiahe, Chuananling, Baijiazhuang, and Shanzhong. The total potato planting area is 6,667 hectares, with an annual production of 45,000,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Puxian potatoes are uniform in size, large, and have either rough or smooth skin surfaces, making them highly marketable. 2. Internal Quality: When stir-fried, Puxian potatoes have a fragrant and crispy taste; when steamed, they naturally peel and crack, becoming soft and fluffy. Testing results show: moisture content between 60–90%, starch content ≥8.5%, crude fiber ≥0.56%, vitamin C content ≥26mg/100g, and potassium content ≥335mg/100g. 3. Safety Requirements: The growing environment of Puxian potatoes complies with NY5332-2006 “Technical Specifications for the Growing Environment of Pollution-Free Field Crops.” The production process strictly follows NY/T5222-2004 “Production Technical Regulations for Pollution-Free Potatoes.” The final products meet the safety standards of NY5221-2005 “Pollution-Free Tuber and Root Vegetables” under the agricultural industry standards of the People’s Republic of China. Packaging and labeling must comply with the “Administrative Measures for the Packaging and Labeling of Agricultural Products” issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. Products entering the market must also adhere to the “Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law” and other relevant laws and regulations.