Yongle Yanhong Peaches

Yongle Yanhong Peaches

Yongle Yanhong Peaches are a product with geographical indication status.

　　According to Fan Junguo, a villager from Shuitang Village in Yongle Township, one autumn in 1986, then-Municipal Party Secretary Li Wanlu went to Beijing to visit Chi Binqing, former Party Secretary of Guizhou Province. Seeing that he was an old acquaintance from Guizhou, Chi’s wife, Xu Ruobing, brought out a plate of large, bright red peaches to serve him. Elder Chi introduced, “These are called Yanhong peaches, given to us by Madam Kang Keqing, the wife of Old General Zhu next door. Madam Kang has a peach orchard. Every August when the peaches ripen, she picks some to share with her neighbors. You’re in luck today — you just happened to catch them. Go ahead, have a taste.” Secretary Li Wanlu had never seen peaches as big as fists, bright red and juicy, especially ones grown in the garden of Old General Zhu. He found them both curious and enviable. He took one, bit into it, and found it crisp, sweet, and fragrant. Looking closer, the flesh was entirely bright red from skin to core. Full of praise, Secretary Wanlu blurted out, “How wonderful it would be if such peaches could grow in Guiyang!” Elder Chi replied, “That can be done. When winter comes, come visit us, and I’ll take you to Madam Kang’s place to cut some peach branches. You can take them back to Guiyang, graft them onto local peach trees, and they’ll sprout, bloom, and bear fruit. Then you can cultivate and promote them — within a few years, you’ll have a substantial orchard. That way, not only will farmers increase their income, but people in Guizhou can also enjoy these heavenly peaches. Isn’t that killing two birds with one stone?” Even though Elder Chi had left Guiyang many years ago, he still cared so much about the people there — Secretary Wanlu was deeply moved. He took the words to heart. After returning to Guiyang, he immediately assigned then-Vice Mayor Liu Yeqiang to lead efforts to make it happen as part of a major initiative to enrich the people and strengthen the city. And so, the Yanhong peaches came to Yongle Township.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The protected production area for Yongle Yanhong Peaches as a geographical indication agricultural product includes seven current administrative villages: Shuitang Village, Shitang Village, Yangjiao Village, Baiyang Village, Luoshi Village, Yongle Village, and Ganjing Village in Yongle Township. The geographical coordinates are: latitude 26°32′ to 26°40′, longitude 106°45′ to 106°56′, at an altitude of 1,100 meters. The township borders Maochang Town of Longli County to the east, Longdongbao Subdistrict of Nanming District and Xiaobi Township of Huaxi District of Guiyang City to the south, Asu Village of Gaoxin Subdistrict in Wudang District of Guiyang City to the west, and Dongfeng Town of Wudang District of Guiyang City to the north. The township stretches 12 kilometers from east to west and 8 kilometers from north to south, covering a total area of 57.9 square kilometers. The protected area spans 2,000 hectares, with an annual output of 30,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: Yongle Yanhong Peaches are large, pinkish-red in color, vibrant and glossy. The flesh is tender, juicy, and flavorful, with a rich aroma. The average weight per peach is 220 grams, with premium-grade peaches weighing 300–350 grams, first-grade peaches 200–250 grams, second-grade peaches under 200 grams, and third-grade peaches under 150 grams. Yongle Yanhong Peaches are mainly first-grade and second-grade. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Yongle Yanhong Peaches are moderately sweet, rich in moisture, sugar, and vitamins. According to analysis by the Guizhou Provincial Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Testing Center, they contain 11.1% total sugar, 10.3% reducing sugar, 85.9% moisture, 0.22% total acidity, 12.5% soluble solids, and 12.8 mg/100g of ascorbic acid. (3) The production of Yongle Yanhong Peaches strictly follows non-polluting agricultural production standards and specifications. Product safety and quality must comply with DB5201/T19—2006 “Local Standard for Peach Production Technical Regulations” (see attachment).