Zhenkang Macadamia Nuts

Zhenkang Macadamia Nuts

　　  Zhenkang macadamia nuts are a specialty of Zhenkang County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. "World nuts look to China, China's nuts look to Yunnan, and Yunnan's nuts are in Lincang (Zhenkang)." To date, the county has planted 78,000 mu of macadamia nuts.

　　  Macadamia nuts, also known as Queensland nuts, belong to the Proteaceae family. They are tall evergreen trees that do not shed leaves seasonally and can live for over 80 years. Macadamia nuts have high nutritional, medicinal, and health benefits. Their fruit contains over 70% various fatty acids, which can improve blood microcirculation and reduce the incidence of heart disease, myocardial infarction, and other cardiovascular diseases, making them very beneficial to human health. The oil extracted from macadamia nuts has a fragrant, clear, and transparent quality with a low melting point, making it a premium natural salad oil. It is currently widely used by major international cosmetic brands as an element for skin beautification.

　　  Zhenkang County started planting macadamia nuts relatively early. Relying on the "18 Bioengineering Project," the county embarked on the path of developing the macadamia nut industry. In 2005, Yunnan Yunanda Nut Development Co., Ltd. was successfully introduced to settle in Zhenkang, and a standardized, high-efficiency demonstration macadamia nut planting base covering 5,000 mu was newly established in Tianba Village, Nanxian Town. Through the approach of "market attracting investors, investors expanding bases, and bases leading farmers," and adopting the operational model of "company + base + farmers," the development of the macadamia nut industry was effectively promoted. Entering the 12th Five-Year Plan period, Zhenkang County, following the concept of "industrializing ecological construction and ecologizing industrial development," focused on "harnessing mountain resources" and "paving a distinctive path." It advanced the macadamia nut industry as a key breakthrough in accelerating the establishment of a major county in forestry resources and a strong county in the forestry industry. By the end of 2012, the county had introduced seven premium varieties—344, 788, 246, 660, 741, 508, and O.C.—and developed a macadamia nut planting area of 78,000 mu, with about 30,000 mu already bearing fruit. Successive macadamia nut demonstration bases covering 10,000 mu have been built in 12 villages across 4 townships (towns), including Tianba, Hali, Reshuihe, Nanxian, Hongyan, and Huyu Villages in Nanxian Town; Fengwei Village in Fengwei Town; Yanzitou and Mengpeng Villages in Mengpeng Town; and Juncai, Chalu, and Mangjili Villages in Juncai Township.