Winter Jujubes of Dali

Winter Jujubes of Dali

The Dali winter jujube is a geographical indication certification trademark.

The Dali winter jujube is a product with geographical indication for agricultural produce.

　　Produced in Dali County, Shaanxi Province, located in the northern part of China’s Loess Plateau — a region known as the "Fruit Capital" of northern Shaanxi. The Dali winter jujube is nearly round in shape, with an average single fruit weight of about 20g. The fruit surface is smooth and clean; the peel is thin and turns a light ochre-red when fully ripe. The flesh is milky white, with a tender, crisp texture and sweet, fragrant taste.

　　Intrinsic Quality

　　Fresh jujubes contain 19 kinds of amino acids needed by the human body and various vitamins such as A, B, C, and P. They have 34% to 38% soluble solids and an average vitamin C content of 52mg per 100g, earning them the title of “living vitamin pill.”

　　Natural Environment of the Production Area

　　The production area of Dali winter jujubes is located in the eastern part of the Guanzhong Plain. This region features a warm temperate, semi-humid and semi-arid monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 13.4°C, annual sunshine duration of 2,385.2 hours, effective accumulated temperature above 10°C totaling 4,312°C, abundant light and heat resources, large diurnal temperature variations, annual precipitation of 514mm, and a frost-free period of 212 days. The terrain is flat, with clayey loam as the main soil type, rich in organic matter and excellent water retention capacity. These unique natural conditions are highly conducive to the cultivation of winter jujubes.

　　Multiple Crop Models

　　Dali winter jujubes are cultivated using various models, including greenhouses, plastic tunnels, and open fields. Greenhouse cultivation involves covering the plants in early January, with harvesting in late July; plastic tunnel cultivation starts with covering in late February and harvesting in early August; while open-field winter jujubes are harvested in late September. Winter jujubes are available from late July to December each year, extending the shelf life, reducing the risk of market glut, and improving economic returns.

　　“One Prevention, Two Protections, Three Promotions” Cultivation Technique

　　“One Prevention”: Preventing green mirid bugs during the budding stage. Before budding, spray 3–5 times with a 0.3–0.5°Bé lime sulfur mixture or 600–800 times diluted copper oleate; during the budding stage, apply a mixed spray of 70% imidacloprid at 7,000 times dilution and 1,500 times diluted pyrethroid pesticide to control green mirid bugs.

　　“Two Protections”: Protecting flowers and fruits. During full bloom, spray 20mg/L gibberellin plus 0.1% borax and 3,000 times diluted Epin (prohexadione calcium) in combination with “girdling” to improve fruit set. After fruit setting, adopt measures such as shoot tipping and fruit thinning to protect the fruits.

　　“Three Promotions”: First, promote fruit enlargement. After mid-July through the hardening stage in August, apply 50kg of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer per mu and irrigate to facilitate fruit growth. Second, promote early fruit ripening. After the enlargement period, adopt the method of “controlling nitrogen, supplementing micronutrients, and increasing phosphorus and potassium” to advance fruit ripening. Third, promote tree nutrient accumulation. After harvest, apply base fertilizer promptly — 2,500kg of organic fertilizer and 100kg of diammonium phosphate per mu — to enhance tree nutrition and lay a solid foundation for high yields next year.

　　Natural Resource Library of Red Dates

　　Dali has a long history of date cultivation. As early as the Western Han Dynasty, date trees were planted in the Shayuan area of Dali County. By the time of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, well-developed systems for irrigating fields via wells were in place. Today, the Shayuan area is covered with various fruit trees including peaches, plums, dates, and apricots, and boasts as many as 42 precious native varieties of red dates — a rare phenomenon across China's date-growing regions. Coupled with numerous introduced varieties, Dali has become China’s “natural gene bank for red date germplasm.”

　　Dali Dates Enjoy a Renowned Reputation

　　According to the *Old Chronicles of Dali County*: “…the dates produced here are famous for their large size, thin peel, small seed, thick flesh, elasticity, crisp sweetness, and juicy abundance. As early as the Kangxi era, they had become tribute to the imperial court.” The *Dali Commercial Chronicles* record: “…there is a local delicacy called ‘Date Cake Paste,’ primarily made from local red dates. There is also a local saying among merchants: ‘May for apricots, June for peaches, July for golden coins — seize them tight; August for apples, September for dates, October for cotton and garlic — plan them well.’ Wherever Dali red dates go, they win unanimous praise from those who taste them.”

　　Winter Jujubes of Dali

　　Geographical Scope

　　The production area of Dali winter jujubes is located in the eastern part of the Guanzhong Plain, within the geographical coordinates of 109°43′ to 110°19′ east longitude and 34°36′ to 35°02′ north latitude. It mainly covers 17 towns in Dali County, including Gaoming, Liangyi, Fanjia, Shuangquan, Xuzhuang, Anren, Zhaoyi, Nianqiao, Fengcun, Chengguan, Pingmin, Zhaodu, Xiazhai, Qiangbai, Guanchi, Sucun, and Weilin. The production area spans 150,000 mu, with an annual output of 80,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Dali winter jujubes feature four main characteristics — large fruit size, nearly round shape with an average single fruit weight of 20g, smooth and clean surface; crispy peel that is thin and becomes light ochre-red when fully ripe; tender flesh that is milky white with a delicate, crisp texture; and a sweet flavor. 2. Unique Intrinsic Qualities: Dali winter jujubes contain 19 amino acids essential to the human body and various vitamins such as A, B, C, and P. With 34–38% soluble solids and 52mg of vitamin C per 100g, their nutritional value is considered the “best among all fruits,” earning them titles such as “King of Fruits” and “living vitamin pill.” 3. Safety Standards: The growing environment of Dali winter jujubes meets the requirements of NY5013-2006 *Environmental Conditions for Non-polluting Fruit and Nut Product Production Areas*. The production process strictly follows the *Dali Winter Jujube Production Technical Regulations*, and any pesticide residue exceeding standards is handled in accordance with the *Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law*. The product standards comply with NY5086-2005 *Non-polluting Food for Deciduous Fruit Tree Nuts*.