Wenjiang Garlic

Wenjiang Garlic

Wenjiang Garlic is a protected geographical indication product.

Wenjiang Garlic is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Garlic belongs to the Liliaceae family and is a perennial herbaceous plant with numerous varieties.

　　Wenjiang is one of the famous garlic-producing regions. Legend has it that garlic seeds were introduced and planted during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. It is known for its fragrant, spicy flavor, rich oil content, large cloves, shiny appearance, and high nutritional value with various vitamins. In 1949, the county cultivated garlic on 1,370 mu of land. In 1985, the planting area expanded to 15,161 mu, producing 9.5746 million jin of dried garlic. The single-clove garlic produced in Wenjiang is well-known for its “high economic value and strong domestic and export demand.” Garlic sprouts are sold in over 30 cities across 11 provinces and regions, including Liaoning, Hebei, Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Ningxia. The garlic produced in the county has a long-standing tradition of being processed into “Fu Garlic.” Fu Garlic is known for being fresh, tender, fragrant, sweet, and crisp, and enjoys brisk sales throughout the country.

　　According to historical records, Wenjiang garlic has been widely renowned since the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, boasting a history of nearly 300 years. This is closely related to Wenjiang’s unique natural conditions, fertile soil, and meticulous farming practices, with the main production areas located around Wan Chun, Gong Ping, Yong Ning, and Yong Quan within the county. Due to booming trade, a specialized Garlic Market Street naturally formed near Chang’an Bridge in the county town, dedicated to the trading of garlic and garlic sprouts. The planting area generally spans around 2,000 mu. After liberation, with improvements in agricultural conditions and increased public demand, garlic production and sales grew year by year. The planting area expanded from several thousand mu in the past to 40,000–50,000 mu, accounting for 25% of the county’s arable land and over 70% of its permanent vegetable fields. The annual production includes 20.91 million kilograms of garlic sprouts and 25.95 million kilograms of garlic bulbs. Sales expanded from within the province to provinces and cities such as Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Hunan, and Guangdong, making Wenjiang garlic an important crop for south-to-north vegetable supply adjustment and foreign trade exports.

　　Superior Quality

　　The garlic varieties in the county all belong to hard-leaf garlic, among which “Red Seven Stars” and “White Seven Stars” are particularly rare and unique in China. Their characteristics include large cloves, shiny color, fragrant and spicy taste, and thick, gel-like juice. The optimal sowing period for “Red Seven Stars” and “White Seven Stars” garlic in our county is mid-to-late September. Their harvest periods are: fresh garlic sprouts in mid-March of the following year, and garlic bulbs in early May. According to folklore, applying garlic juice to a copper coin and placing it on the body will prevent the coin from falling off. Chemical analysis in the 1980s revealed that per 100 grams of edible garlic, the typical composition includes 63 grams of water, 4.1 grams of protein, 0.6 grams of fat, 30.3 grams of carbohydrates, 143 kilocalories of energy, 0.8 grams of crude fiber, 1.2 grams of ash, 29 milligrams of calcium, 133 milligrams of phosphorus, 0.9 milligrams of iron, 0.06 milligrams of riboflavin, 0.4 milligrams of niacin, and 2 milligrams of ascorbic acid. Garlic has extensive uses in chemical industries and medicine, hence the folk saying: “Garlic has a hundred benefits; it’s a treasure throughout.” In recent years, the annual yield of Wenjiang garlic seeds has consistently supplied planting material for 200,000 mu of garlic nationwide. In 2001, Wenjiang County was able to supply garlic seeds for 250,000 mu.

　　The protected geographical indication area for Wenjiang Garlic is defined by the scope proposed in the “Report on the Protected Geographical Indication Product Area Map of Wenjiang Garlic” (Wen Fu Fa [2006] No. 81) issued by the People’s Government of Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, covering the entire current administrative region of Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province.