Dazhu Ramie

Dazhu Ramie

Dazhu ramie is a product certified with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Ramie, known as "China's grass," is one of the pillar industries of Dazhu County. The cultivation of ramie in Dazhu dates back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, boasting a history of over 3,000 years. The Daoguang-era *Dazhu County Annals* recorded that "ramie and rice are the foremost," and the Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu wrote in his *Ten Quatrains of Kuizhou*: "Ramie from Shu and salt from Wu have long been traded; ships of ten thousand bushels sail like the wind," both reflecting the prosperity of ramie production and trade in Dazhu. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially after the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Dazhu County has prioritized ramie production as a key local industry, leading to rapid development. Both ramie yield and cultivated area ranked first among ramie-producing counties nationwide, with annual output consistently accounting for about 40% of the province’s total and around 10% of the nation’s, making Dazhu a national base for ramie production. In the mid-to-late 1980s, ramie production reached its peak. The highest planting area was in 1987, covering 220,000 mu, with an output of 20,000 tons and a production value of 205 million yuan. Per capita income reached 236 yuan across the county, and over 1,000 yuan in major ramie-growing areas. The peak annual income for ramie farmers was 130 million yuan in 1986, truly making ramie the "money tree" that helped Dazhu farmers increase their income and achieve prosperity. Entering the 1990s, as the national ramie market weakened, the county government guided farmers to focus on improving ramie varieties, phasing out inferior strains and expanding superior ones. The single-fiber fineness of ramie reached 1,800–2,300 counts, and the planted area remained at around 150,000 mu, still ranking first in both area and yield nationwide. While developing ramie production, Dazhu County also leveraged its resource advantages to vigorously expand the ramie textile industry. Ramie processing enterprises rapidly emerged, establishing Dazhu as a textile base in Sichuan Province. The county now has 23 ramie processing enterprises, with fixed assets exceeding 300 million yuan, employing over 10,000 workers. These facilities operate 23,000 spindles for long-staple spinning, 12,000 spindles for short-staple spinning, and 700 looms, with an annual raw ramie consumption capacity of 20,000 tons. Major ramie textile products include degummed ramie, ramie tops, waste silk, ramie yarn, and ramie-cotton blended fabrics. Thirty-eight products have been awarded provincial or ministerial-level quality certifications. These products, made from natural fibers, are highly valued by foreign buyers for their premium quality, stiffness, and excellent breathability, and are exported to markets in Japan, South Korea, and Europe and the United States. Over the years, the county has developed an integrated system encompassing ramie cultivation, procurement, transportation, processing, and sales, forming the early stages of an industrialized ramie operation. Currently, Dazhu County is seizing the opportunities brought by China’s accelerated WTO accession and the recovery of the textile industry. By focusing on building high-quality ramie bases and advancing the deep processing of ramie textile products, the county aims to become a national hub for premium ramie commodities and a distribution center for ramie textiles.

　　Dazhu Ramie Sichuan Province Dazhu County Ramie Technology Extension Station The geographical indication protection area for Dazhu ramie covers 384 villages across 50 towns and townships in Dazhu County, Sichuan Province, including Zhuyang Town, Chengxi Township, Zhubei Township, Yangjia Town, Renhe Township, Huangjia Township, Zhonghua Township, Qinghe Town, Bailin Town, Baijia Township, Lijia Township, Shihetown, Yuehua Township, Shuanggong Township, Erlang Township, Pubao Township, Wumu Town, Dongliu Township, Tuanda Township, and Chaoyang Township. The geographical coordinates are longitude 106°50′–107°32′ and latitude 30°20′–31°58′.