Kongshan Potatoes

Kongshan Potatoes

Kongshan Potatoes are an agricultural product with geographical indication status.

　　"Kongshan Potatoes" have been awarded the status of a National Geographical Indication Protected Product.

　　Tongjiang Kongshan Potatoes

　　In recent years, the region has focused on exploring, cultivating, and building the brand of Tongjiang Kongshan Potatoes, developing the potato industry in a large-scale and standardized manner. Through a breeding, propagation, and promotion model, the county has planted "Kongshan Potatoes" on 400,000 mu of land.

　　Tongjiang has over 300 years of history in potato cultivation, with an annual planting area of around 180,000 mu, accounting for about 15% of the county’s total grain planting area. The annual yield is 48,000 tons, making it the fourth-largest grain crop in the county. "Tongjiang Kongshan Potatoes" have gained widespread fame across Bashu (Sichuan and Chongqing) since the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, thanks to their unique climate, soil conditions, and scientific cultivation techniques. They are highly favored by consumers in areas such as Wanyuan, Nanchong, and Chongqing, and have become a seed potato base for the northeastern Sichuan region, supplying over 7,000 tons of seed potatoes annually. Since 2005, Tongjiang County has signed technical cooperation agreements with the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Sichuan Agricultural University. Led by the County Agriculture Bureau and based in Kongshan, the Northeastern Sichuan Potato Seed Base Project pilot program was launched, achieving notable results. First, a preliminary high-quality potato seed breeding system was established. The project implementation gradually formed a virus-free potato breeding system consisting of variety resource collection and selection → production of virus-free pre-basic seeds → variety comparison trials → basic seed production → commercial seed production → standardized field production. Second, a preliminary industrialized operation model for the potato industry was established. The project was led by a qualified agricultural service enterprise, the Agricultural Inputs Chain Technology Service Company, relying on specialized research institutions such as Sichuan Agricultural University and the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and cooperating with specialized extension agencies such as the county’s agricultural technology, plant protection, and seed institutions. This established an industrial operation model of "research institutions + agricultural enterprises + agricultural technology extension agencies + bases + farmers." Third, efforts were made to build the "Kongshan Potato" brand. Through local variety testing, virus-free cultivation, trials, and approvals, locally distinctive varieties with wide adaptability, strong resistance, and high yield were selected, further enhancing the reputation of Tongjiang Potatoes.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Kongshan Potatoes are produced in Bazhong City, Sichuan Province. The protected geographical indication area for agricultural products includes 151 townships (encompassing all townships within the three counties and one district of Nanjiang, Pingchang, and Bazhou in Bazhong City), including Kongshan Township in Tongjiang County, covering 1,520 villages. Bazhong City is located in the northeastern part of Sichuan Province, classified as a remote mountainous area of the Sichuan Basin, with geographical coordinates between 106°20′–107°49′ east longitude and 31°15′–32°45′ north latitude. It borders Dazhou to the east, Nanchong to the south, Guangyuan to the west, and Hanzhong in Shaanxi Province to the north. The protected area spans 500,000 mu, with an annual output of 800,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Kongshan Potatoes are round or oval in shape, with moderately distributed and evenly spaced eyes, and have smooth skin with good glossiness. Suitable for fresh consumption as table potatoes or as seed potatoes. They have a sweet taste and are not prone to breaking. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Kongshan Potatoes have a starch content of ≥10%, and are rich in Vitamin C. (3) Safety Requirements: The product quality meets the standards of the "Pollution-Free Food Tuber and Root Vegetables" NY5221-2005.