Shuangliu Loquats

Shuangliu Loquats

Shuangliu loquats are a protected geographic indication product.

　　Announcement No. 203 of 2007 on the Approval to Implement Geographic Indication Product Protection for Shuangliu Loquats. The protected production area of Shuangliu Loquats as a geographic indication product is based on the scope proposed in the “Report on the Protected Area Map for Shuangliu Loquats Geographic Indication Products” (Shuangfu Letter [2007] No. 110) issued by the People's Government of Shuangliu County, Sichuan Province, which covers the current administrative regions of 14 towns in Shuangliu County, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province: Hejiang, Yongxing, Xinglong, Sanxing, Taiping, Baisha, Xinxing, Wan’an, Zhengxing, Jiancha, Jitian, Dalin, Yong’an, and Huanglongxi. Producers within the protected area of Shuangliu Loquats geographic indication products may apply to the Shuangliu County Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau of Sichuan Province for permission to use the “Special Logo for Geographic Indication Products,” subject to approval and announcement by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China.

　　Cultivation

　　　　(1) Soil, Fertilizer, and Water Management: Based on the abundance or deficiency of major, medium, and trace elements in the orchard soil, and the nutritional characteristics of the varieties “Da Wuxing” and “Zaozhongliu No. 6” loquats, balanced fertilization techniques are promoted, with increased application of organic fertilizer and rational use of chemical fertilizer, ensuring that the total nutrient content of chemical fertilizers does not exceed 50% of the total fertilizer applied. For adult fruit-bearing trees per hectare, the fertilizer application rates are: organic fertilizer for Da Wuxing shall be no less than 16,500 kg, and for Zaozhongliu No. 6 no less than 20,625 kg, with N ≤ 20, P2O5 ≤ 16, K2O ≤ 16. Fertilization is prohibited within one month before harvest.

　　(2) Pruning and Tree Training: Employ central leader layered and open-center tree forms, and use pruning techniques such as thinning, heading, stubbing, shoot removal, and limb spreading to ensure uniform distribution of branches and shoots in the canopy, thereby improving light conditions and balancing growth, fruiting, yield, and quality.

　　(3) Flower and Fruit Management: For Da Wuxing, the ratio of vegetative branches to flower branches should be 1:1 or 1:2; for Zaozhongliu No. 6, it should be 1:2 or 1:3. Da Wuxing should retain 1 to 3 fruits per panicle, while Zaozhongliu No. 6 should retain 2 to 4 fruits per panicle. Fruit bagging is practiced, with yield limits of no more than 22,500 kg per hectare for Da Wuxing and no more than 30,000 kg per hectare for Zaozhongliu No. 6.

　　(4) Pest and Disease Control: Prevention first, integrated control. Strengthen agricultural, physical, and biological controls, and scientifically apply chemical methods to keep pests and diseases within allowable limits.

　　Value

　　　　According to analysis by the Department of Nutrition at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the edible portion of loquat fruit contains 0.4g protein, 0.1g fat, 7g carbohydrates, 0.8g crude fiber, 0.5g ash, 22mg calcium, 32mg phosphorus, 0.3mg iron, 3mg vitamin C, and 1.33mg carotene per 100g. Among these, calcium, phosphorus, and carotene levels are significantly higher than those in other common fruits, and it also contains all eight essential amino acids required by the human body.

　　Loquats are not only delicious and nutritious but also highly beneficial for health. The Compendium of Materia Medica states that “loquats can nourish the five internal organs and moisten the heart and lungs.” Traditional Chinese medicine believes that loquat fruit has the effects of expectorating phlegm, relieving coughs, promoting saliva production, moistening the lungs, clearing heat, and invigorating the stomach. Modern medicine has further proven that loquat fruit contains abundant vitamins, amygdalin, and vescalagin—substances that help prevent and combat cancer.

　　Early summer marks the season when loquats ripen. Not only do they taste great, they are also quite nutritious. Analysis shows that their main components include sugars, proteins, fats, cellulose, pectin, carotene, tannins, malic acid, citric acid, potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and C. Notably, their carotene content is particularly rich, ranking third highest among fruits. Additionally, loquats contain a wide variety of sugars, mainly glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Moreover, the abundant vitamin B in loquats plays a significant role in protecting vision, maintaining healthy and moisturized skin, and promoting children’s physical development. With a cool nature and sweet-sour taste, loquats help moisten the lungs, relieve coughs, quench thirst, and soothe the stomach. They are commonly used to treat symptoms such as dry throat, irritability and thirst, coughing with blood, and hiccups. Not only is the fruit flesh medicinal, but the seeds, leaves, and roots of the loquat also offer therapeutic value. Eating fresh loquats raw after washing can relieve discomforts like dry mouth and thirst. Additionally, boiling 50g of fresh loquats (washed and peeled) with 5g of rock sugar for half an hour and then consuming the mixture is especially effective for treating sore throat and redness caused by tonsillitis.

　　 The protected production area of Shuangliu Loquats as a geographic indication product is based on the scope proposed in the “Report on the Protected Area Map for Shuangliu Loquats Geographic Indication Products” (Shuangfu Letter [2007] No. 110) issued by the People's Government of Shuangliu County, Sichuan Province, which covers the current administrative regions of 14 towns in Shuangliu County, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province: Hejiang, Yongxing, Xinglong, Sanxing, Taiping, Baisha, Xinxing, Wan’an, Zhengxing, Jiancha, Jitian, Dalin, Yong’an, and Huanglongxi.