Linyuan Potatoes

Linyuan Potatoes

Linyuan Potatoes are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Linyuan County is a well-known major potato-growing region in the province, and Dashetou Township is the township with the largest potato planting area, cultivating over 12,000 mu of potatoes. Compared to potatoes from other areas, Linyuan’s potatoes have several distinctive features.

　　High starch content is one of the key factors. There are many places in China where potatoes can be grown, but the most significant difference between them lies in starch content. The level of starch affects the texture, nutrition, shelf life, economic value, and many other aspects of the potatoes.

　　Large size — why is size considered a feature? Because potatoes are meant to be eaten, and when it comes to food, texture matters. Generally speaking, the ideal size for a potato is about the size of one to two fists. Many people may not realize that size does make a difference. Smaller potatoes tend to be very hard and lack elasticity. Aside from boiling, their performance in other cooking methods is greatly reduced. On the other hand, potatoes that are too large don’t affect other cooking methods much, but when boiled, they become overly soft and shouldn’t be cooked for too long — no further comment needed on that.

　　There are many varieties — I haven’t investigated how many exactly, but I’ll describe a few types I’ve tried.

　　Yellowish in color, medium-sized — these are the most common and can be used in various dishes with different ingredients. Red-skinned ones have a slightly sweet and fragrant taste. Purple ones generally taste much better than the first two. There’s also a type of small potato that never grows as large as the aforementioned fist- or two-fist-sized ones — only slightly bigger than an apple. I’m not very familiar with how they’re used, as I’ve had less exposure to them.

　　Region: Shanxi

　　Applicant: Linyuan Agricultural Technology Station

　　Year of designation: 2014

　　Geographical Scope

　　Linyuan County is located in the northern part of Lüliang City, Shanxi Province, along the upper reaches of the Fen River. It borders Kelan to the north, Xing County to the west, Jingyue to the east, and Loufan and Fangshan to the south. The highest elevation is 2,275 meters, and the lowest is 1,131 meters. The county administers 4 towns, 8 townships, 1 urban residents' management committee, 167 administrative villages, and 334 natural villages, with a total population of 178,000, including 154,000 agricultural residents. The county covers a total area of 1,512 square kilometers, with 759,000 mu of arable land. Its geographical coordinates are between 38°05′00″N to 38°36′11″N and 111°21′43″E to 111°50′02″E. Historically, the potato planting area reached 17,000 hectares, with a total output of 380,000 tons.