Weishan Red Snow Pear

Weishan Red Snow Pear

Weishan Red Snow Pear is a geographical indication certification trademark.

Weishan Red Snow Pear is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Weishan Red Snow Pear has a long local cultivation history. According to the *Forestry* records of Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County: “Weishan Red Snow Pear is an excellent late-maturing, storage-resistant variety unique to the county, with nearly a hundred years of cultivation history.” Since it matures in winter, locals also call it “Winter Snow Pear.” According to *The King of Red Snow Pears*, a document compiled by the Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County Science and Technology Bureau: “In Shangdui Village, Xinjia Village, Shujiexiang, at an altitude of 2,400 meters in Weishan County, there grows a naturally hybridized Red Snow Pear tree. Experts have confirmed that this tree has stood firmly on this land for over two hundred years.” The old local chronicles of Weishan County (Qing Dynasty), *Menghua Zhipu*, Volume 14, on Products, records: “Pears (also called quick fruit, jade milk, or honey father, including varieties such as snow pear, barbarian pear, fragrant crisp, early white, torch, hua hong, etc.).” Records from the county’s *Forestry*, *Annals of Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County*, and *Weishan Yearbook* state: “From 1983 to 1984, led by the County Political Consultative Conference, relevant departments including the County Science and Technology Commission, Ethnic Affairs Commission, Economic Cooperation Office, Agriculture Bureau, and Land Office conducted a resource survey on Red Snow Pears, winning the Second Prize for Scientific and Technological Achievements of Weishan County in 1984, and were reported in the *Yunnan Science and Technology Newspaper* in April 1985. In 1986, experts identified Weishan Red Snow Pear as a rare variety in Yunnan with development potential. In 1987, the development of Weishan Red Snow Pear was listed as one of Yunnan Province’s ‘Spark Plan’ projects. By the end of 1989, the county had over 60,000 bearing Red Snow Pear trees, with an annual yield of 1 million jin. In 1990, Weishan Red Snow Pear was rated first place among the province’s late-maturing pears by the Yunnan Temperate Fruit Tree Expert Panel and awarded a certificate. In 1993, it received a Quality Fruit Product Certificate from the Yunnan Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. In 1995, it won a Silver Award at the Second China Agricultural Expo.” Weishan Red Snow Pear is late-maturing, storage-resistant, brightly colored, rich in amino acids, and highly nutritious, making it very popular with consumers and often in short supply. In 2009, the Red Snow Pear produced by Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County Lüyuan Forestry and Fruit Co., Ltd. obtained “Green Food Grade A” certification. In 2011, Weishan Red Snow Pear was listed as an agricultural local standard demonstration project in Yunnan Province.

　　Weishan Red Snow Pear is mainly planted in Dadè Village Committee, Heping Town. Locally, it is commonly known as “Winter Snow Pear.”

　　This variety features wide adaptability, strong tree vigor, and high resistance to stress. It matures from late October to early November, is storage-resistant, produces regularly shaped fruits with large size (300–400 grams), vibrant color, and good palatability (sweet, crisp, and juicy). At peak production, a single tree yields 100–150 kilograms, with per-mu yields exceeding 3,000 kilograms.

　　Once renowned for its freshness, beauty, fragrance, and sweetness, Winter Snow Pear was ranked first among Yunnan’s late-maturing pears. It is abundantly grown in Yi mountainous areas such as Ma’anshan, Wuyin, Qinghua, and Dacang.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Weishan Red Snow Pear is produced in Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The planting area spans ten townships: Ma’anshan Township, Weibaoshan Township, Wuyin Township, Zijin Township, Nanzhao Town, Miaojie Town, Dacang Town, Yongjian Town, Niujie Township, and Qinghua Township. The geographical coordinates are between 99°55′–100°25′ east longitude and 24°56′–25°32′ north latitude, covering a width of 47 km from east to west and 65 km from north to south, with a total planting area of 2,000 hectares and an annual yield of 50,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Adult Weishan Red Snow Pear trees are over 1.5 m tall, usually pruned in a central leader or natural open-center system, with emerald green leaves. It is a late-maturing, high-quality fruit that blooms from late February to early March and matures from October to December. It is storage-resistant and can be kept until the next pear flowering season. The fruit is oval-shaped, uniformly sized, with an average weight of 150–250 grams per fruit. The base skin color is yellow, with over two-thirds of the surface bright red, resembling rouge red, giving it an attractive and vivid appearance. The flesh is white, fine and crisp, juicy with no pits, and has a balanced sweet-sour taste. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Weishan Red Snow Pear has a tender and crisp texture, juicy, pit-free, small core, well-balanced sweet-sour flavor, and is highly nutritious and storage-resistant. Soluble solids ≥8.0%; hardness ≥2.8 kgf/cm²; total sugar ≥4.8%; titratable acid ≤3.0 g/kg; total amino acids ≥1.8%; vitamin C ≥2.0 mg/100g. (3) Safety Requirements: The growing environment of Weishan Red Snow Pear complies with *NY5013-2006 Pollution-Free Food – Orchard Environmental Conditions*; product quality meets the *GB/T 10650-2008 Fresh Pears* standard.