Zichang Sweet Potato Vermicelli

Zichang Sweet Potato Vermicelli

Zichang Sweet Potato Vermicelli is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Zichang Sweet Potato Vermicelli (strands, sheets) is a specialty of Zichang County, Yan'an, Shaanxi Province. It is made primarily from potatoes through a process of mashing, filtering, precipitating to produce starch, and then further cooking and processing. The product features a bright white color, even and smooth texture, and is tender yet chewy, making it suitable for stir-frying, cold mixing, or soup preparation. From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, locals used stone mills to mash potatoes and extract starch to make vermicelli. Before the 1980s, potato processing was limited to manual operations, resulting in very limited production of sweet potato vermicelli (strands, sheets), with only small amounts being sold outside the region. After the 1980s, with the introduction of potato processing machinery, the production of sweet potato vermicelli (strands, sheets) increased year by year. In 1980, Zichang County produced 200 tons of vermicelli (strands, sheets), exporting over 100 tons. By 1995, production reached 2,940 tons, with exports of 2,360 tons, making it a major export commodity. In 1993, it won the silver award at the Changde National Spark Program Achievements Exhibition. In 1999, the county had 3,512 large, medium, and small potato processing sites, with an annual processing capacity of 150,000–200,000 tons, producing 25,000 tons of vermicelli (strands, sheets). The per capita net income derived from potatoes by local farmers reached 382 yuan.