Guxian Walnuts

Guxian Walnuts

Guxian walnuts are a product with geographical indication.

　　Guxian walnuts have a long and storied production history, dating back over 2,000 years. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the walnut industry in Guxian developed rapidly. As early as 1958, it was honored by the State Council as the “Hometown of Dried Fruits.” Since the reform and opening-up, the industry has expanded dramatically. In 1986, it was included in Shanxi Province’s “Spark Program.” In 1993, the State Council designated Guxian as a “Model County for High-Yield, High-Quality, and Efficient Walnut Production.” In August 1994, a provincial on-site meeting titled “Promoting Advanced Technology to Build High-Quality, High-Yield Walnut Demonstration Orchards” was held in Guxian. The county was also awarded by the Ministry of Forestry as an “Advanced County in the Development of Economic Forests,” thus entering the forefront of national walnut production. Over the years, successive county Party committees and governments have tailored strategies to Guxian’s realities, implementing a 24-character guideline: “Consolidate and renew old trees, manage and improve mid-aged trees, graft young trees to upgrade quality, and plant new high-quality varieties.” This has steered the walnut industry toward “scientific management, intensive operation, standardized cultivation, and industrialized development.” Walnut production has been positioned as a flagship sector of high-efficiency agriculture and a leading industry for achieving stable and long-term prosperity for farmers. A major push has been made to revitalize the industry. Walnuts are now grown across all ten towns and townships in the county, forming three main production zones—old, mid-aged, and young trees. Both walnut yield and planted area have increased year by year. To date, the county has 3.2 million walnut trees, covering 210,000 mu, including 850,000 fruit-bearing trees yielding 3 million kg annually, generating annual revenue of 24 million yuan—accounting for 30% of the total agricultural output value. The per capita walnut income reaches 328 yuan, making up 25% of the annual per capita net income. The county’s annual walnut kernel exports earn 800,000 USD in foreign exchange. Guxian leads the province in four metrics per capita: walnut area, number of trees, yield, and income. Walnut production has become the leading industry helping local farmers escape poverty and achieve prosperity. (Linfen)

　　Guxian, known as the “Hometown of Walnuts,” leverages its local industry strengths and vigorously implements a walnut-driven wealth strategy. Its per capita walnut yield ranks 10th nationwide. For 15 consecutive years, it has topped the province in four per capita metrics: area, number of trees, yield, and income. Awarded by the Ministry of Forestry as an “Advanced County in the Development of Economic Forests,” it has become the largest walnut production base in the province.

　　Located in southern Shanxi, Guxian borders Anze to the east, Hongtong to the west, and neighbors Fushan and Yaodu to the south, as well as Huozhou and Qin Yuan to the north. With a long history, rich talent, and abundant tourism resources, Guxian is home to the renowned “World’s No. 1 Peony” in Sanhe, four ancient tree kings over a thousand years old, the tomb of the Warring States statesman Lin Xiangru, and the Niyi River where the Sui-Tang hero Luo Cheng is said to have fallen in battle.

　　In recent years, building on its traditional walnut industry, Guxian has made walnut development one of the county’s five pillar industries and one of its four key economic goals, steadily advancing agricultural industrialization. Guided by the principles of “concentrated contiguous planting, scaled production, leading enterprise-driven growth, and brand value enhancement,” the county focuses on three key areas: expanding base-scale production, adding value through product processing, and building sales networks. To boost technological content and encourage walnut cultivation, the county has implemented comprehensive management measures centered on nutrient isolation belts. Technical personnel conduct annual inspections of all walnut trees in the county. In terms of policy support, the walnut seedling subsidy has been raised from 1 yuan to 1.2 yuan per seedling, greatly motivating farmers. In planting models, specialized teams are deployed. Management follows a reporting system based on the principle of “assessing projects in spring, survival rates in summer, retention in autumn, and full settlement after autumn,” achieving over 90% survival and retention rates. Leading enterprises drive deep processing to increase product value-added. Guxian walnuts are premium raw materials for developing health foods and nutritional products. The county’s Guyue Food Co., Ltd., a leading enterprise in local production, has significantly enhanced local walnut value-added. With assistance from the provincial food research institute, they produce “Guyue Brand” amber walnut kernels and other products. These not only provide farmers with reliable sales channels but are also in high demand on the market. The company has established long-term sales outlets in major cities such as Shenzhen, Shijiazhuang, and Taiyuan, while over 60% of its annual output is exported, enjoying strong consumer popularity in Europe, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Currently, the county’s walnut planting area spans 230,000 mu with 7.55 million trees, preliminarily achieving the goal of “100 walnut trees per capita.” Annual output reaches 3.75 million kg, contributing 800 yuan in per capita income. Ten high-quality 10,000-mu walnut bases have also been established.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Guxian is located at the foot of the Huoshan Mountain in the northeastern part of Linfen City, Shanxi Province, within the central-southern section of the Taiyue Mountains. It borders Anze to the east, Hongtong to the west, Fushan and Yaodu to the south, and Huozhou and Qin Yuan to the north. The walnut-growing region of Guxian includes seven towns under the county’s jurisdiction: Yueyang, Beiping, Guyang, and Jiuxian. Its geographical coordinates are between 111°48′–112°10′ east longitude and 36°02′–36°36′ north latitude. The region spans 20 km from east to west and 55.6 km from north to south, with elevations ranging approximately from 590 to 2,346.8 meters.