White River Papaya

White River Papaya

White River papaya is a protected geographical indication product.

　　White River papaya, a specialty of Baihe County in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province, is a China National Geographic Indication product. Also known as fragrant papaya or longevity fruit, it is an indigenous variety to the county with a long planting history. Baihe County is one of China's largest producers of smooth-skinned papaya. The golden-colored, aromatic Baihe smooth-skinned papaya is used by the county to produce papaya wine and fruit vinegar, which are also competitive specialty products with positive market feedback.

　　Baihe County is located at the northern foot of the Daba Mountains in the eastern part of Ankang City, southern Shaanxi Province. It lies in the transitional climate zone from the northern subtropics to the warm temperate zone and falls within the continental monsoon humid climate region. Its natural climate features are “abundant light energy, sufficient heat, ample precipitation, and a long frost-free period.” Over 70% of the area consists of low mountains and valleys ranging from 170 to 1200 meters in elevation, characterized by a land resource distribution of “eight parts mountain, half part water, and half part farmland.” The region’s nature, which blends both northern and southern traits along with mountain microclimates, fosters a rich diversity of biological species—including over 1,200 types of medicinal plants. Among these, papaya is one of the main agricultural products.

　　Production Situation

　　Planting Situation

　　Papaya is an indigenous variety to Baihe County with a planting history of over 1,000 years. Local residents, as shown in Figure 2 at the Baihe papaya production base...

　　...have a long history of cultivating smooth-skinned papaya alongside farming, and it grows widely in the wild. In 2000, in line with the national policy of converting farmland back to forest, Baihe County set a goal to develop 100,000 mu (approximately 6,666 hectares) of papaya across the county. In 2002, building on an existing area of around 7,000 mu of wild papaya and leveraging the national Grain for Green Program, the county encouraged farmers to actively expand papaya cultivation. By 2008, the papaya cultivation area had reached 107,500 mu. That year, production hit 21,400 tons, generating output value exceeding 30 million yuan and increasing average rural income by nearly 200 yuan—accounting for nearly 10% of per capita net income. In 2009, across 15 towns and 113 villages, a cumulative 107,000 mu of papaya were planted, including 64,000 mu in contiguous blocks and 43,000 mu scattered. Of this, 45,000 mu began bearing fruit. There were six towns with over 10,000 mu planted, 38 villages with more than 2,000 mu, and 152 large-scale growers with over 10 mu each, along with four processing enterprises. For instance, in Shunli Village, Zhongchang Town, out of 576 households in five villager groups, 350 had established papaya orchards. The village implemented a management approach where village cadres were responsible for groups and group cadres for individual households, strongly promoting standardized cultivation. It was designated by the city and county as a national standardized papaya cultivation demonstration center. The village accumulated a total planting area of 2,700 mu, with 1,500 mu entering initial fruiting stage, yielding 1,500 kg per mu and generating 2.25 million yuan in output value—an average increase of 4,000 yuan per household. By these figures, Baihe papaya shows strong potential for increasing farmers’ incomes. By 2010, a 100,000-mu papaya production base had been established, making Baihe the largest papaya production base in China, with an annual output of 150,000 tons of fresh papaya.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Baihe County is located in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province, at the northern foot of the Daba Mountains and south bank of the Han River. Its geographic coordinates are between 109°37′–110°10′ east longitude and 32°34′–32°55′ north latitude. The county’s highest elevation is 1,901 meters (at Wulongjian), and the lowest is 170 meters (on the right bank where the Han River exits the county), resulting in a relative height difference of 1,731 meters. It borders Hubei Province to the east, south, and north, and neighbors Xunyang County to the west. The county stretches 53.3 km from east to west and 41.35 km from north to south, covering a total land area of 1,455 square kilometers. According to the "Administrative Measures for the Registration of Agricultural Product Geographical Indications" and based on Baihe papaya’s unique humanistic history and natural ecological environment, the People’s Government of Baihe County has designated the Baihe papaya geographical indication protection area to include 15 towns, 58 administrative villages, with a total production area of 7,133 hectares and an annual output of 100,000 tons.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Topography and Landform: The Baihe papaya production areas mainly feature valley terraces dominated by low mountains and mid-low mountains. The terrain is higher in the south and lower in the north, with the Han River flowing northward across the region. The area is surrounded by mountains on the east, south, and west, with the Taishanmiao Ridge rising in the center, forming a typical “mountain” shape. Aside from peaks such as Taiping Mountain, Jiugetang, Hanjia Mountain, Anjian Mountain, Shengmu Mountain, Pingding Mountain, and Yeren Mountain along the western and southern borders—all exceeding 1,200 meters in elevation—most of the region consists of low mountains and hills.

　　(2) Hydrology: Baihe County has a total of 765 rivers and streams, among which 696 (90.9%) have drainage areas under 5 square kilometers, 27 (3.5%) range from 5–10 square kilometers, 23 (3.5%) range from 10–30 square kilometers...

　　...10 streams (1.3%) range from 30–50 square kilometers, and 4 (excluding the Han River) range from 50–100 or over 100 square kilometers. The county’s river network density is 1.31 km per square kilometer, with water erosion affecting 1,129 square kilometers—or 77.8% of the total area—at an erosion modulus of 2,174 tons per square kilometer annually.

　　The Han River flows from west to east-southeast across the northern part of the county, with a maximum flow of 31,600 cubic meters per second and a minimum dry-season flow of 72 cubic meters per second, transporting 54.46 million tons of sediment annually. To the west, the Lengshui River system and to the east, the Baishi River system flow almost parallel from south to north into the Han River. Other streams directly entering the Han River include Mogo, Tuoban, Beidianzi, and Mahugou. The county has highly undulating terrain, fragmented surface, and strong river downcutting, typically resulting in narrow valleys and steep gradients, with water flow varying greatly with precipitation. Water volume fluctuates significantly between seasons, indicating substantial theoretical hydropower potential. Most water sources in the county are of relatively good quality with light pollution, generally rated grade I or II, with some reaching grades III or IV. The vast majority are suitable for industrial and agricultural use, and many wells and springs meet standards for human and livestock consumption.

　　(3) Climate: The area has a northern subtropical humid monsoon climate. Annual sunshine hours are 1,850.5, with a sunshine percentage of 42% and total annual solar radiation of 108.4 kcal/cm². The mean annual temperature is 15.6°C, with July (the hottest month) averaging 27.6°C and January (the coldest) averaging 3.3°C. Extreme highs reach 42.6°C, and extreme lows drop to -11.6°C. The frost-free period lasts about 234–261 days, with the first frost usually occurring in mid-November and the last in early March. The accumulated temperature above 10°C ranges from 3,602–5,170°C. Average annual precipitation is 793.5 mm. Due to the mild climate and significant elevation variation, vertical climatic characteristics are distinct.

　　(4) Soil: The Baihe papaya production area is a typical rocky mountainous region with diverse rock types. These differences give rise to varied soil types. The dominant soil is yellow-brown earth, with a soil layer typically 30–50 cm thick, moderate stone content, 1.8% organic matter, and a pH of 5.3–8.2—suitable for papaya growth.

　　Yellow-brown earth is the zonal soil of the northern subtropics, formed under mixed deciduous and evergreen broadleaf forests. Its soil-forming conditions and processes show distinct transitional traits, representing an intermediary between subtropical red-yellow soils and warm temperate brown- and cinnamon soils. Parent materials are mainly weathered granite and gneiss. Soil layers are generally 20–50 cm thick, with medium organic matter content (around 1.4–1.7%), low total nitrogen (about 0.1%), and a pH of 5.5–8.2, mostly neutral to slightly alkaline. The soil is moist with adequate moisture content.

　　(5) Humanistic History: Baihe County is known as the “Papaya Capital of Shaanxi” and possesses resource advantages for papaya production. In 2003, the county’s Party Committee and government made a timely decision for a “second venture,” identifying papaya as one of the county’s five major green industries for scaled development. They issued the “Implementation Opinions on Vigorously Developing the Papaya Industry” and the “Notice on Establishing the Baihe County Papaya Industry Construction Work Leading Group.” The goal was to transform abundant resource advantages into economic strengths by following a model of “building papaya industry bases → establishing leading enterprises → producing high-value-added products → achieving maximum economic returns → further promoting standardized and regulated base development,” thereby creating an effective pathway for mountainous-area farmers to escape poverty and achieve prosperity.

　　Following the issuance of the Implementation Opinions, the entire county adhered to principles of “unified planning, rational layout, scaled contiguous planting, and scientific management,” implementing measures that combined “seeking external research collaboration” with “internal policy fulfillment, seedling and agricultural supply subsidies.” This ensured an annual development rate of 30,000 mu and standardized, high-quality orchard establishment and management. Papaya planting area expanded from 26,000 mu in 2003 to 107,500 mu, including 63,600 mu of contiguous orchards. The adoption rate of standardized papaya planting techniques reached 78.6%, boosting both yield and quality. Current annual papaya output exceeds 20,000 tons, generating 40 million yuan in output value and increasing per capita income by an average of 220 yuan, significantly driving county economic development. In February 2007, the Ankang Municipal People’s Government awarded the research achievement of standardized papaya planting techniques the “First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress.”

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Site Selection: Choose flat or gently sloping land with abundant sunlight, fertile soil, adequate moisture, and good drainage.

　　(2) Variety Selection and Specific Requirements: Select seeds of Ecotype I and Ecotype II, which exhibit typical Baihe papaya characteristics, for production use (see Table 1).

　　(3) Production Process Management: The Baihe papaya production process must comply with the “Afforestation Technical Regulations” (GB/T15776—2006) and the Baihe Papaya Cultivation and Management Technical Specifications.

　　 (4) Post-Harvest Handling: Papaya is harvested manually. After picking, fruits can be temporarily stored in cool, ventilated areas with sun and rain protection before sorting and grading prior to packaging, then stored in warehouses that meet storage requirements.

　　(5) Production Record Requirements:

　　① Keep detailed records of dates throughout the papaya production process.

　　② Accurately record harvest dates, product types, quantities (i.e., yields of different varieties under varying planting densities).

　　③Agricultural Input Records: A. Types of fertilizers, application rates, usage times, and number of applications;

　　B. Types of pesticides, concentration levels, application dates, and number of applications;

　　④Accurately record the number of years the papaya has been planted.

　　4 Typical Quality Characteristics of the Product and Product Quality Safety Regulations

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Baihe papaya is large and thick-fleshed, with soft and smooth flesh, bright yellow color, a strong fragrance, and a sweet yet slightly acidic taste. It is highly praised for being “both beautiful in flower and fruit, and excellent in color and aroma,” and is known as the “Hometown of Papaya” in Shaanxi. In spring, it flowers before sprouting leaves, with an early and long flowering period. The petals are round, deep red or light red, and some are white. There are many flowers, clustered and bunched, as brilliant as peach blossoms and as luxuriant as crabapple blossoms. In golden autumn, it bears abundant fruit with golden-yellow skin and a rich fragrance.

　　Table 1 Characteristics of Papaya of Different Ecological Types

　　Trait

　　Variety Line Tree

　　Type Growth

　　Trend Initial

　　Flowering Mature

　　Period Fruit

　　Shape Skin

　　Color Aroma

　　Fragrance Water

　　Content % Variety

　　Quality Single Fruit Weight

　　(grams) Yield per Plant

　　(kilograms)

　　Ecological Type 1 Medium

　　Spread-out Weak May

　　Early Ten Days October

　　Mid Ten Days Long Elliptic

　　Shape Bean Green Color Yulan Flower

　　Fragrance 78.6 Good 200–250 25

　　Ecological Type 2 Medium

　　Upright Medium May

　　Early Ten Days October

　　Early Ten Days Nearly Round Yellow Color Fragrance

　　early ten days of a month nearly round yellow aroma

　　Rich 75.3 Best 250-300 28

　　Ecotype 3 Tall

　　Erect Strong May

　　Early ten days October

　　Late ten days Oval Greenish-yellow Aroma

　　Poor 66.4 Inferior 300-500 35

　　(2) Internal quality requirements: Baihe papaya is divided into three grades. The physicochemical indicators of fresh fruits for each grade are shown in Table 2.

　　Table 2 Physicochemical indicators of fresh fruits for each grade

　　Item Grade I Grade II Grade III Remarks

　　Total soluble sugar (%) 5 4-5 75 65 <65

　　Oleanolic acid (%) ≥0.2

　　Hygiene indicators (see Table 3)

　　Table 3 Hygiene indicators of smooth-skinned papaya

　　Item Indicator (mg/kg) Remarks

　　Mercury (as Hg) ≤0.01

　　Arsenic (as Ag) ≤0.5

　　Lead (as Pb) ≤0.2

　　Cadmium (as Cd) ≤0.03

　　Deltamethrin ≤0.5

　　Carbendazim ≤2.0

　　(3) Safety requirements: The national mandatory technical regulations for market access of Baihe papaya are: NY5013-2006 "Pollution-Free Food - Environmental Conditions for the Origin of Fruit Products." It also complies with the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products," the "Administrative Measures for the Labeling and Packaging of Agricultural Products," and the "Administrative Measures for Geographical Indications of Agricultural Products."

　　Packaging and labeling-related regulations

　　(1) Packaging: Non-commercial fruits may be bulk-packed. Commercial fruit packaging should use materials that are fresh, clean, non-toxic, odorless, and will not cause internal or external damage to the product. Inner packaging should be soft, and packaging containers should meet requirements for breathability and strength, be appropriately sized and uniform, to ensure handling, stacking, storage, and sale of the product. Containers are generally cardboard boxes.

　　(2) Marks and labels: The packaging must clearly indicate the words “Pollution-Free Food – Baihe Papaya.” It should also comply with the storage and transport pictorial marking standards GB/T191 and labeling standards GB7718.

　　(3) Basic requirements for storage facilities: Cool, ventilated, temperature 10-20°C, relative humidity 45-60%, non-toxic, odorless, and pollution-free.

　　(4) Transportation: Transport vehicles should be clean, ventilated, and equipped with sun protection and rainproof facilities. They must not be used to transport toxic, odorous items or heavy metals, etc. Handle with care during loading and unloading, stack securely, and avoid crushing or collision.