Xifeng Navel Oranges

Xifeng Navel Oranges

Xifeng navel oranges are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Xifeng navel oranges are a specialty of Xichong County, Nanchong City, Sichuan Province. These oranges are oval-shaped, bright orange-red in color, smooth-skinned, seedless, and have crisp, tender, juicy flesh with a rich flavor. In 2003, they were awarded the title of “China Famous Fruit” at the 7th China (Shanghai) Famous and High-Quality Fruits Exhibition. Xifeng navel oranges are a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Xifeng navel oranges are produced in Xichong County, Nanchong City, Sichuan Province. Xichong enjoys a favorable ecological environment, distinctive industrial features, and a long history of fruit tree cultivation. Among its produce, citrus fruits are the most abundant and highest quality, making the area well known as the “Hometown of Citrus.” The "Xichong County Annals" (Kangxi 24th year edition), under the section “Food and Commodities,” already recorded the presence of “oranges and tangerines.” The "Xichong County Annals (III)" state: “The county began cultivating citrus fruits relatively early... In the 1930s, He Wenlan of Huaishu built a 20-mu citrus orchard at Xichan Temple and hired two skilled workers from Hechuan to manage it.” After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Xichong’s fruit industry, especially citrus production, achieved significant development. In 1964, the 500-mu Qinglong Horticultural Farm was established; in 1967, more than 10 citrus varieties were introduced from the Citrus Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Chongqing) for trial planting. Among them, the Qing 39 (the predecessor of Xifeng navel oranges), selected from the superior mutant strain No. 39 of the Robertson navel orange, exhibited the best quality. By the late 1970s, it was consistently ranked first in provincial evaluations. In 1979, Xichong was officially designated by the Ministry of Agriculture as a National Citrus Base County. In 1985, the county party committee issued the "Decision on Vigorously Developing Citrus Production," identifying citrus as a major advantage and pillar industry for prosperity. That year, the county planted 3.6 million citrus trees, including 2.44 million high-quality trees of five major varieties such as navel oranges, accounting for 68% of the total. In 1984 and 1989, it was twice awarded the National Gold Quality Award for Premium Fruits. In the late 1980s, local fruit experts introduced new varieties from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Through cultivation and selection, these varieties demonstrated high yield and excellent quality, with outstanding marketability. As they were mainly produced in Fenghe Township of Xichong County, after research by the county party committee and government, they were named “Xifeng Navel Oranges.” The superior quality of Xifeng navel oranges is inseparable from the region’s unique geographical location, climate, soil conditions, and water resources. Xichong County mainly features shallow hilly plains and mid-level hilly plains, which facilitate production layout and farming. The soil is fertile, deep, and rich in organic matter and minerals. The area enjoys abundant rainfall and good water quality, with sunlight concentrated relatively between April and September—covering most of the effective growing period of Xifeng navel oranges—which helps accumulate nutrients, increase soluble solids, facilitate pigment conversion, and enhance the orange-red hue. According to "China Southern Fruits," Xifeng navel oranges demonstrate more stable yields, better coloration, and superior quality compared to those from Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Chongqing. In 2003, Xifeng navel oranges won the title of “China Famous Fruit” at the 3rd National Famous and High-Quality Fruits Exhibition in Shanghai. In 2005, the “Xifeng” brand trademark was registered with the National Trademark Office. Currently, Xifeng navel oranges are sold both within and outside the province. The county has developed contiguous plantings of over 20,000 mu (approximately 1,333 hectares) of Xifeng navel oranges, with an annual output of over 50,000 tons of high-quality fruit.

　　Xifeng navel oranges are a new variety introduced in 1987 by fruit technicians from the Xichong County Agriculture Bureau from the Citrus Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. These oranges are oval-shaped, bright orange-red in color, smooth-skinned, seedless, and have crisp, tender, juicy flesh with a rich flavor. In 2003, they were awarded the title of “China Famous Fruit” at the 7th China (Shanghai) Famous and High-Quality Fruits Exhibition, and the “Xifeng” trademark was accepted and registered by the National Trademark Office in 2005. Currently, Xifeng navel oranges sell well both within and outside the province. The county has developed contiguous plantings of 20,000 mu (approximately 1,333 hectares) of Xifeng navel oranges, with an annual output of over 50,000 tons of high-quality fruit.

　　In 2013, the “Xifeng Navel Oranges” application submitted by the Xichong County Fruit Technology Station passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, and was granted national geographical indication registration and protection.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic indication area for Xifeng navel oranges includes 24 towns and townships in Xichong County, Nanchong City: Jincheng, Changlin, Fengming, Yixing, Renhe, Fenghe, Shuangjiang, Hongqiao, Shuangfeng, Dongdai, Gaoyuan, Tongde, Zhanshan, Xianglong, Chelong, Jinquan, Zhongling, Ziyang, Guanwen, Qinglong, Duofu, Dongtai, Huaihu, and Xinnian. Xichong County is located in the central-northern part of the Sichuan Basin, with geographical coordinates ranging from 105°36′4″ to 106°4′7″ east longitude and 30°52′4″ to 31°15′7″ north latitude. It borders Peng’an County to the east, Yanjing County to the west, Nanbu County to the north, and Pengxi County to the south. The protected area spans 65,000 hectares, with an annual production of 32,000 tons.