Pucheng Crisp Pear

Pucheng Crisp Pear

Pucheng Crisp Pear is a geographical indication protected product.

Pucheng Crisp Pear is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Pucheng Crisp Pear

　　Pucheng is located at the northernmost tip of Shaanxi Province in China, at the junction of four provinces: Su, Lu, Jin, and Gan. It borders the famous Pucheng to the east, with the Longhai Railway and National Highway 310 running across the entire territory, the Huo-Lian Expressway passing nearby, and the ancient course of the Yellow River lying within its bounds. It serves as the only passage connecting the Eurasian Continental Bridge. It is a national ecological demonstration county and the world’s largest contiguous fruit orchard area, with fruit cultivation covering 800,000 mu. Among these, "Imperial Pears" have a production of 400,000 tons, hence Pucheng is honored as the "Pear Capital." Our Green Earth Imperial Pear Sales Center is located in the birthplace of Pucheng's Imperial Pears, boasting a cultivation history of 2,500 years. These pears are renowned far and wide for their "large size, small core, thin skin, juicy flesh, crisp and sweet taste, and beautiful golden-yellow appearance." Additionally, they are reputed for their health benefits such as quenching thirst, promoting saliva production, resolving phlegm, moistening lungs, relieving coughs, calming wheezing, clearing heat, and detoxifying, thus earning fame both in China and abroad. During China’s 2003 battle against SARS—a war without gunfire—the Dangshan Crisp Pear played a significant role. Owing to its medicinal value, it became a hot commodity nationwide, flying off shelves. When consumed raw, it clears the heat from the five internal organs; when eaten warm, it nourishes the yin of the organs. For this reason, it has been hailed by physicians throughout history as: "The nectar of fruits, the holy elixir of medicine," and has been cherished by consumers for thousands of years. During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, it was listed as an imperial tribute, exclusively served in the royal palace. Due to its limited quantity and high quality at the time, it was rarely available to common people, leading to a folk rhyme: "Tasting one bite of the Imperial Pear surpasses visiting the Peach Blossom Festival," illustrating the preciousness of Pucheng’s Imperial Pear. Hence, the Imperial Pear produced by Green Earth is also known as the Crisp Pear. Since the founding of New China, senior Chinese leaders and foreign dignitaries have visited Dangshan to taste it, all giving high praise. Since 1985, the Crisp Pear has won gold awards multiple times at international agricultural expos. Since 1995, our local Imperial Pear has obtained the Green Food label through certification by the China Green Food Development Center, allowing the product to be exported to the United States, Austria, Southeast Asia, and other countries.

　　Pucheng developed an excellent variety by introducing and cultivating the famous Dangshan Crisp Pear. It features a smooth, glossy exterior and crystal-clear, refreshing flesh. Not only has it won numerous awards for these outstanding qualities, but it has also driven Pucheng’s economic development, rightfully earning the title of China’s Hometown of Crisp Pears.

　　　　The rapid development of Pucheng’s fruit industry has spurred the rise of supporting sectors. The county has over 4,000 fruit storage facilities scattered among orchards, villages, and towns, with 35 high-standard controlled-atmosphere cold storages lining the Weiqing and Xiyu highways, offering a total capacity of hundreds of millions of kilograms. This allows merchants to purchase on-site, store locally, and distribute in batches. There are over 50 cardboard box factories with a production capacity of 20 million sets, more than 80 foam net and fruit bag factories, over 30 fruit processing enterprises, and fruit processing capabilities exceeding thousands of tons.

　　　　Pucheng’s fruit farmers, who possess traditional fruit tree cultivation techniques, have in recent years adopted a series of new green fruit production methods such as formula fertilization, drip irrigation, and fruit bagging. As a result, Pucheng Crisp Pears not only have an excellent texture that is sweet, crisp, and tender, but also boast a flawless, glossy, and transparent appearance—truly unparalleled—and are highly favored by consumers.

　　　　Pucheng is surrounded by mountains and lies to the south of the Luo River. It features undulating mountain ridges, fertile plains and valleys, crisscrossing ravines, and vast, robust layers of loess soil.

　　　　760,000 industrious people cultivate 1.68 million mu of land, including 478,000 mu of green fruit, 180,000 mu of crisp pears. It has become not only the country’s largest base of green fruit but also a true Hometown of Crisp Pears in China. The fruit has a well-shaped form, large size, crisp texture, golden color, sweet and juicy flavor, and excellent taste. “One bite and juice drips from your hand” is the honest assessment of domestic and international merchants regarding Pucheng Crisp Pears. Pucheng Crisp Pears have successively won the Shaanxi Province Quality Agricultural Product Award and the Gold Award at the China Kunming Science and Technology Expo. At the first China Yangling Agricultural Science and Technology Expo, Pucheng Crisp Pears were awarded the “Houji Golden Image Award.”

　　　　The county has three railways that connect to all parts of the country, and the “green channel” remains open 24 hours a day. All fruit-producing villages and groups within the county’s towns have access to paved roads, and program-controlled telephones have been extended to every household. This year, the county party committee and government have formulated preferential policies for fruit circulation, establishing 100 fruit sales reception stations throughout the county. Fruit transport vehicles enjoy a smooth ride in Pucheng, with a “one-stop” service provided to fruit merchants. Meanwhile, 24 direct sales windows have been set up in cities such as Shenzhen, Kunming, Nanning, and Guangdong.

　　The production area of Pucheng Crisp Pears covers the current administrative region of Pucheng County, Shaanxi Province.

　　I. Variety

　　White Pear variety.

　　II. Growing Conditions

　　Within the production area, the altitude ranges from 370m to 1,280m. The soil types are loam and loess, with a soil layer thickness of ≥60cm, groundwater level below 1m, soil organic matter content of 10 to 15g/kg, soil pH value between 5.5 and 8.5, and soil salt content ≤2‰.

　　III. Cultivation Management

　　1. Seedling propagation: Grafting using the wild pear (Pyrus betulaefolia) as rootstock, with planting taking place in spring or autumn each year.

　　2. Planting density: No more than 1,260 plants per hectare, with pollinating tree varieties accounting for no more than 1/4.

　　3. Pruning and shaping: Select appropriate tree shapes based on planting density, such as small crown, free spindle, open center, or inverted V-shape. Combine winter and summer pruning to ensure good ventilation and light penetration in the tree canopy.

　　4. Fertilization and irrigation management: Primarily use organic fertilizer, supplemented rationally with inorganic fertilizers. Fruit-bearing trees should receive no less than 30 tons of well-rotted organic farmyard manure per hectare. Ensure timely irrigation.

　　5. Flower and fruit management:

　　(1) Flower pollination: Combine orchard beekeeping with manual pollination to promote fruit setting.

　　(2) Reasonable load: Use manual thinning of flowers and fruit to keep yield per hectare under 60 tons.

　　(3) Fruit bagging: Begin bagging 35 to 40 days after flowering, completing it within 50 days.

　　6. Environmental and safety requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and similar inputs must comply with national regulations, and must not cause environmental pollution.

　　IV. Fruit Harvesting

　　Fruit enters maturity in mid-September. Harvesting may only occur when the soluble solids content is measured to be ≥11.0%.

　　V. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics: The fruit is well-shaped, nearly cylindrical, with a greenish-yellow skin (pale yellowish-white for bagged fruit), smooth and bright surface, small and dense lenticels, thin skin, white flesh, crisp texture, aromatic, juicy, sweet taste, large fruit with a small core.

　　2. Physical and Chemical Indicators: Fruit transverse diameter ≥70mm, soluble solids content ≥11.0%, fruit firmness 4.5 to 6.0kg/cm².