Panjiang Ice-Crisp Crisp Plum

Panjiang Ice-Crisp Crisp Plum

　　Panjiang Ice-Crisp Crisp Plum

　　The crisp plum belongs to the woody plant family, blossoming in early spring, bearing fruit in late spring, and ripening in midsummer. Based on skin color and crispness, it is categorized into several varieties such as green crisp plum (i.e., the crisp plum), yellow wax plum, and pearl plum. Crisp plums are cultivated throughout Guiding County, with planting area and yield particularly high in Panjiang Town.

　　Panjiang Town is situated in the central part of Guiding County, within a hilly region flanked by river valleys. The overall terrain is higher in the east and west, lower in the middle, and elongated from north to south. The soil is predominantly yellow sandy loam, deep, fertile, and well-drained. The Wengcheng River, the largest river in Guiding, flows from south to north through nine villages of the town,

　　forming many natural small basins. The mountains along both sides of the river act as barriers that mitigate cold fronts and chilling air, while the river helps regulate temperature and humidity, creating even more favorable conditions for the growth of crisp plums.

　　The cultivation of crisp plums in Panjiang has a long history. In the early 20th century, 90% of households planted them around their homes and in field corners, mostly for personal use, with very little sold on the market. In 1972, aside from being sold at a few defense-related factories and mines in the town, some were also transported to Guiyang for sale. With their light yellow, thin skin covered in a white powdery bloom, smooth texture, thick and dense flesh, abundant juice, and exceptional crispness, they stood out from the rest. At the time, they became highly sought after by merchants from both within and outside the province, resulting in supply falling short of demand. After the 1990s, production grew rapidly, expanding from scattered planting to contiguous orchards. In good years, yields could exceed 400 tons, while in poorer years, they still reached over 200 tons. During harvest season each year, merchants from across the province and beyond would drive to the crisp plum-growing households in various villages of Panjiang Town to compete for purchases, especially in Hongqi Village and Shipu Village. They would come every four or five days, usually with four large trucks at a time or at least two. The plums were transported to Kaili, Guiyang, Duyun, and other places, even reaching markets outside the province. From 1992 to 1998, they were even exported to markets in Guangzhou and Guangxi.

　　In June 2001, the Guiding County Party Committee and County People’s Government held the first Guiding County Crisp Plum Festival in Panjiang Town, achieving preliminary success.

　　On July 16, 2005, the county Party Committee and government held the Guiding “Golden Sea and Snow Mountain” Ice-Crisp Crisp Plum Festival once again. Leaders from provincial, prefectural, and county levels, heads of over 60 provincial departments, guests from more than 20 enterprises inside and outside the province, reporters from dozens of domestic and international news organizations, and members of the public totaling about 50,000 participated. The event featured a rich variety of activities and achieved highly significant results, greatly enhancing the visibility of Panjiang crisp plums.