White kidney beans

White kidney beans

　　　 Are a traditional legume crop in Lijiang. In recent years, with the increase in export earnings from white kidney beans, the mountainous areas of Lijiang have focused on developing white kidney bean products as a key industry to help lift the region out of poverty. The white kidney bean industry in Lijiang has become one of the province’s major bases for legume exports. Just the two townships of Liming and Ludian in Lijiang produce over 4,000 tons per year. Lijiang’s kidney beans are mainly grown in the high-altitude mountainous areas of Tai’an, Ludian, Jidian, and Liming in western Lijiang. Thanks to the excellent water and soil conditions and lack of pollution, Lijiang kidney beans are not only of high quality but also have plump grains and a shiny appearance. They serve as premium raw materials for making bean paste, bean fillings, bean crisps, high-end candies, bean powder, and soy milk, and are highly sought-after for both domestic use and export.

　　 In recent years, experts from Japan’s kidney bean industry, officials from China’s Ministry of Agriculture Green Food Certification Department, World Bank officers, and evaluation experts from the EU BCS certification body’s agricultural development projects and local development assessments—including Werner August—have visited AA-grade green food kidney bean bases in Tai’an and Jizi in Lijiang. They concluded that the production process of AA-grade kidney beans in Lijiang fully complies with international AA-grade green food standards. As a result, Lijiang County has been designated by the China Green Food Development Center of the Ministry of Agriculture as an AA-grade green food development base. It is reported that among China’s more than 300 types of A-grade green food, only four have achieved AA-grade status: Shandong peanuts, Heilongjiang soybeans, Hebei small red beans, and Yunnan Lijiang kidney beans.

　　 Currently, Lijiang County plans to establish a 5,000-mu (approximately 333 hectares) kidney bean base in Danan Township, Ludian, and Jidian over the next eight years, aiming for an annual production of 280 tons of AA-grade kidney beans—all of which will be exported to Japan.