Shimian Huangguogan

Shimian Huangguogan

Shimian Huangguogan is a geographical indication certification trademark.

Shimian Huangguogan is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Shimian Huangguogan is a famous specialty of Shimian County in Ya’an City, Sichuan Province. The fruit is oblate to inverted-ovoid in shape, mostly with a flat stem, grooved surface, orange-yellow rind that is glossy and oily in appearance. The peel is thin and easy to remove, with a large hollow central column and virtually no seeds. The flesh is crisp, tender, juicy, and refreshing with a mildly sweet and sour taste and delicate aroma.

　　Shimian County is located in the southwestern part of Sichuan Province, at the southernmost end of Ya’an City. It borders Hanyuan County and Ganluo County to the east, Yuexi County and Mianning County to the south, Jiulong County, Kangding County to the west, and is adjacent to Luding County to the north. It is 365 kilometers from Chengdu, the provincial capital, and 210 kilometers from downtown Ya’an. Shimian Huangguogan is a local specialty fruit of Shimian, a natural hybrid variety between citrus and orange. It combines characteristics of both, featuring late ripening, virtually no seeds, early bearing, high yield, and strong resistance.

　　The fruit is oblate to inverted-ovoid in shape, weighing 140–180g per piece. Most have a flat stem and grooved surface. The rind is orange-yellow, glossy, with large, raised oil glands giving it an oily appearance. The peel is thin and easy to remove, with a large hollow central column and virtually no seeds. The flesh is crisp, tender, juicy, and refreshing with a mildly sweet and sour taste and delicate aroma. The edible rate is ≥65%, soluble solids ≥10.5%, total acid ≤1.3 g/100ml, and solid-acid ratio ≥9. The fruit matures late, from early February to mid-to-late March the following year. It can be left on the tree until April or May for harvest, yielding an income of ¥15,000–20,000 per mu.

　　Shimian Huangguogan is a natural hybrid of citrus and orange. Due to its orange-yellow exterior color and morphological and physiological traits similar to citrus, it was named “Huangguogan” (Yellow Citrus Orange) by the Sichuan Fruit Tree Survey Team in 1956. According to the Classic of Mountains and Seas: “…its trees are mostly pine, cypress, and bamboo…; there are many oranges.” Wild citrus species still grow in the mountainous areas of the southwest, south China, and the Yangtze River basin, especially in the valley areas of the upper Jinsha River and Dadu River, where there are large pristine ecological communities of Huangguo (sweet orange), Penggan, and Mafenggan.

　　According to folklore, Shimian Huangguogan originated from the migration during the Ming and Qing dynasties known as “Huguang Filling Sichuan” and has a history of over 200 years. Investigations show that Huangguogan was planted early on in Xiaganchi of Wajiao Township and Damacun of Xinmin Township in Shimian County. The oldest surviving tree is about 160 years old (it naturally dried up and died in 2002), and there are still 150-year-old Huangguogan trees in the county today that are growing and bearing fruit well. Since its promotion began in 1987, after nearly 20 years of development, Shimian Huangguogan has grown into a regional specialty fruit industry with strong local characteristics, becoming a pillar industry for increasing farmers' incomes and building a new socialist countryside in Shimian County.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected area for the agricultural geographical indication product Shimian Huangguogan covers 13 townships and 44 villages within Shimian County, Ya’an City, Sichuan Province, at altitudes below 1200 meters. The geographic coordinates are longitude 101°56′–102°34′ and latitude 28°51′–29°31′. The county borders Hanyuan County and Ganluo County to the east, Yuexi County and Mianning County to the south, Jiulong County and Kangding County to the west, and is adjacent to Luding County to the north. The main production area of Shimian Huangguogan extends from Tianjiaheba in Fengle Township in the east to Jinping in Xianfeng Township in the west, borders Fulong Village in Caruo Township to the south, and starts from Xingfu Village in Tianwan Township to the north. The protected area spans 2,000 hectares with an annual yield of 60,000 tons.