Changning Pot Walnut

Changning Pot Walnut

　　Changning is not only a paradise for tea cultivation but also an ideal kingdom for pot walnut growth. The cultivation of pot walnuts here boasts a long history, dating back to the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. All 13 townships in the county are suitable for growing pot walnuts. Among them, the Xianyue Walnut King, known as a living fossil of pot walnut cultivation in the region, has been estimated by forestry technicians to be over 700 years old. These three ancient and venerable walnut trees each still yield more than 2,000 walnuts per year, making them the oldest representatives of Changning’s fine and aromatic walnuts. Changning fine and aromatic walnuts are highly favored by consumers for their early harvest time, thin shells, bright color, and plump flesh.

　　In 1991, Changning fine and aromatic walnuts were recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation as a “Nationally Export-Quality Product Generating Foreign Exchange.” In 1998, the Ministry of Forestry designated Changning as a national base county for economic forests featuring famous, special, and high-quality commercial tree species. In 2000, it was honored by the State Forestry Administration as the “Hometown of China’s Famous, Special, and High-quality Economic Forest Walnuts.” By 2005, the planting area of pot walnuts in Changning had reached 401,800 mu, ranking third in Yunnan Province; production hit 5,108 tons, ranking second in the province. Products are exported not only to domestic markets such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Hong Kong but also to international markets including Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Canada, generating an output value of over 70 million yuan. The pot walnut industry has become the most promising emerging industry in Changning.