Qiongzhong Areca

Qiongzhong Areca

　　Qiongzhong Areca is a specialty of Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County in Hainan Province. Hainan’s Qiongzhong County is one of the country’s main areca-producing regions, and areca is also one of the local pillar industries, with extensive cultivation areas.

　　Areca is one of Hainan’s four famous medicinal plants, rich in amino acids, vitamin C, and other trace elements, offering significant medical and health benefits. Qiongzhong County is located in the heart of the Wuzhi Mountains, boasts beautiful mountains and clear waters, and is the source of three major rivers—the Wanquan River, the Nandu River, and the Changhua River. It has long been a major producer of Hainan’s southern medicinal herbs, especially high-quality areca. In 2004, the county’s areca cultivation area reached 60,000 mu, with 40,000 mu harvested, yielding 2,000 tons of fresh fruit. It is projected that by 2010, the cultivation area will reach 100,000 mu, with over 60,000 mu harvested, producing 3,000 tons of areca. Areca has become a major source of income for local farmers.