County Street Red Pear

County Street Red Pear

　　County Street Red Pear, also known as Dianjiu Red Pear, was developed by cross-pollinating pollen from the local Yunnan variety “Torch Pear” with Japan’s “Kosui Pear” to produce seeds, which were then taken to New Zealand for planting. Superior strains were selected from the seedlings and later grafted onto local Dangshan Pear trees. In 2007, this pear was recognized by the China Fruit Association as a famous Chinese fruit. The early-ripening Red Pear 95-2 has a tender yellow hue, snow-white flesh, and a sweet honey-like flavor with a refreshing fragrance. Among the newer pear varieties—“Beauty Crisp” and “Sky Red”—they boast vibrant colors, exquisite appearances, delicate textures, and a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste. The fruits are highly storable, remaining flavorful for over three months at room temperature, making them standout high-end fruits and the “pinnacle of pears.”

　　In 2008, County Street Town had 2,253 fruit-growing households with a population of 7,911 engaged in fruit farming. The total area planted with red pears was 4,153.7 mu, including 1,320 mu of early-ripening red pear variety (95-2) with 58,093 trees, yielding 1,626 tons; 2,573 mu of mid-ripening red pear varieties (“Beauty Crisp” and “Sky Red”) with 113,214 trees, yielding 3,396 tons; 260 mu of late-ripening red pear variety (“Red Cloud No. 1”) with 11,459 trees, yielding 194 tons; 763 mu of early-ripening “Early Crisp” with a yield of 915 tons; 351 mu of “Yunxiang” with a yield of 90 tons; and 208 mu of “Yellow Flower” with a yield of 291 tons.

　　Red pears are highly nutritious, containing not only rich amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates but also essential trace elements such as calcium, iron, and zinc, along with various vitamins—all highly beneficial to human health. For thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine has valued pears as an effective remedy for promoting saliva production, moistening dryness, clearing heat, and resolving phlegm. There is a folk saying: “Raw pears clear heat from the internal organs, while cooked pears nourish the yin of the five viscera.” Particularly, red pears contain over 87% insoluble fiber, which helps cleanse the kidneys and purify the intestines, aiding in the prevention of colon and rectal cancer. Eating a pear after meals can help expel a significant amount of carcinogens stored in the body. Therefore, eating pears is like buying health.