RenShou Caojia Pears

RenShou Caojia Pears

RenShou Caojia Pears are a protected geographical indication product.

RenShou Caojia Pears are a protected agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Located at the southern end of the Longquan Mountain Range in Caojia Township, Renshou County, these pears have over 400 years of cultivation history according to the *Sichuan Pear Chronicles*. There are now more than 80,000 century-old pear trees; over 12,500 acres of mature fruit-bearing pear trees yield an annual production of 32,500 tons. With a well-matched selection of early-, mid-, and late-season premium varieties, they have been certified as both national “Green Food” and “National Agricultural Geographical Indication Registered Protected Product,” selling well both within and outside the province. In the charming month of March when the pear blossoms are in full bloom, visitors are treated to a sea of flowers — a mesmerizing spring destination. By autumn, the area bustles with traffic and is laden with bountiful fruit, making it a great spot for fruit tasting and business opportunities for all.

　　RenShou Caojia Pears are a famous specialty of Caojia Township, Renshou County, Meishan City, Sichuan Province. Thanks to the region’s unique soil and climatic conditions, the pears are smooth-skinned, tender-fleshed, sweet and juicy with little core, offering cooling and lung-moistening benefits.

　　Located 30 kilometers southwest of Renshou County, Caojia Township boasts a long history of pear cultivation. During the Qing Dynasty, the pears produced in Dongshanli (now Lvyuan Village) of Caojia were listed as tributes to the imperial court, thus gaining fame across Bashu. Since the reform and opening-up, the area has leveraged the “Caojia Pear” brand to grow the industry significantly, expanding cultivation to 22,000 acres, with an annual output of 25 million kilograms and a production value of 40 million yuan. As a result, Caojia has become the center of “Southern Pears” in Renshou and a major pear-producing base in Sichuan. Currently, “Caojia Pears” include over 30 early-, mid-, and late-season varieties and have been awarded the “Green Food” title by the National Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Through over a hundred years of continuous development, pear cultivation in Renshou County has reached 61,500 acres, and Caojia Pears have become a pillar of the county’s characteristic agricultural industrialization. In 2004, the area was honored as a “Sichuan Pollution-Free Production Base,” in 2004 it received the title of “Meishan Well-Known Tourism Product” from the Meishan Municipal Government, in 2004 it was awarded “Sichuan Ecological Park,” in 2007 it gained national “Green Product” certification, in 2007 it won the “Meishan Well-Known Trademark” title, and more. Caojia Pears have been extensively covered by major news outlets and enjoy high recognition both within and outside the province, with products exported to the U.S. and sold nationwide.

　　Caojia Pears

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic indication area for Caojia Pear agricultural products includes 17 townships in Renshou County, Meishan City, Sichuan Province: Caojia Township, Zhongxiang Town, Hexing Township, Shijian Town, Cihang Town, Manjing Town, Zhaojia Township, Jingxian Township, Beidou Town, Xie’an Township, Fujia Town, Shizui Township, Yuchen Township, Fengling Township, Outang Township, Longwang Township, and Heilongtan Town. The geographical coordinates are: 103°58′–104°29′ east longitude, 29°43′–30°10′ north latitude. Renshou County is located in the southwestern part of the Sichuan Basin, in the southern section of the Longquan Mountain Range. The core production area of Caojia Pears lies in the southwestern part of Renshou County, bordering Jianyang County, stretching 48.7 kilometers from east to west and 50.6 kilometers from north to south. The protected area spans 4,100 hectares with an annual output of 82,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Caojia Pears are medium to large, nearly round, with brown skin and deep stem cavities. The flesh is white, the core extremely small, the texture tender, with few stone cells, sweet taste, fragrant aroma, and excellent quality. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Caojia Pears feature high sugar and low acid qualities, with soluble solids content of 12–16%, total acid ≤2.0g/kg, sugar content of 10–16%, solid-acid ratio ≥80:1, and edible rate of 75–85%. 3. Safety Requirements: The quality of Caojia Pears complies with the standards set in *Green Food Temperate Fruit* (NY/T844-2004).