Muxi Yellow and White Ginger

Muxi Yellow and White Ginger

　　Muxi Yellow and White Ginger is a specialty of Muxi County, Leshan City, Sichuan Province. There are two types of ginger grown in Muxi: white ginger and yellow ginger. The area has a long history of ginger cultivation, with records of the medicinal benefits of "Muxi Ginger" dating back to the Ming Dynasty in Li Shizhen's *Compendium of Materia Medica*.

　　Muxi ginger is available in both white and yellow varieties. Yellow ginger, scientifically known as turmeric, is primarily used in food, medicine, dyeing, and chemical industries. Muxi yellow ginger has been certified as an organic agricultural product by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and its finely processed products are popular in markets such as Japan and South Korea. White ginger from Muxi features plump, thick rhizomes with tender, snow-white flesh. Its dried ginger pieces are firm, full, powdery, white-colored, fine-fibered, spicy, and strongly flavored, earning a reputation across the province and beyond for their “white skin and powdery mouthfeel.” Since being designated as a national agricultural standardization ginger demonstration county in 2005, the county has developed a *General Guideline for High-Yield Cultivation Techniques of Muxi Yellow and White Ginger* in accordance with the national *Administrative Measures for Agricultural Standardization Demonstration Zones*. A specialized cooperative and technical association for yellow and white ginger were also established. Demonstration zones were set up in towns such as Danan, Muxi, Jianban, Yangcun, and Dibao, where farmers received enhanced technical training and guidance. The promotion of pollution-free biological fertilizers became widespread, gradually shifting growers away from traditional extensive farming practices toward standardized, regulated management in the yellow and white ginger industry. This shift improved both the quality and yield of the produce, helping build the "Muxi Ginger" brand internationally. In 2007, the construction of the National Standardization Demonstration Zone project for yellow and white ginger in the county passed inspection and acceptance by the National Standards Committee and the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.

　　Currently, the county's annual output of yellow and white ginger reaches 45,000 tons, generating sales revenue of 260 million yuan. Ginger farmers have seen an average income increase of over 3,000 yuan per household, making the yellow and white ginger industry a thriving sector for rural prosperity. To date, the county’s supply and marketing cooperatives have initiated the establishment of two ginger processing enterprises, four ginger cooperatives, and one association. These initiatives have involved over 1,100 member households and have driven more than 13,000 ginger-growing households across the county.