Jinta Tomatoes

Jinta Tomatoes

Jinta Tomatoes are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Jinta Tomatoes are a specialty of Jinta County, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province. They belong to the determinate, self-topping growth type. The ripe fruits are bright red with even coloring, oval in shape, uniformly sized, thick-fleshed, firm in texture, with appropriate acidity, good taste, and are crack-resistant, pressure-resistant, and suitable for storage and transportation. Jinta Tomatoes are a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The establishment of Jinta County dates back to the sixth year of Emperor Wu of Han’s Yuanding era (111 BC), when it was called Huishui County and belonged to Jiuquan Commandery. In the second year of the Republic of China (1913), the Ziwangzhuang Subprefecture of Suzhou Direct-Controlled Prefecture was renamed Jinta County. Jinta is one of China’s most distinctive tourist counties, and the world-renowned Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is located within its borders. The Juyan Bamboo Slips unearthed at the Jian Shui Jin Guan in the county are ranked among the four great archaeological discoveries of Eastern civilization in the 20th century, alongside the archives of the Ming and Qing dynasties’ Forbidden City, the oracle bones of the Yin Ruins, and the Dunhuang manuscripts. Jinta boasts unique natural scenery: tens of thousands of acres of populus euphratica trees in diverse forms, vast yards of yardangs shaped by nature’s artistry, the awe-inspiring Great Wall beacon towers that speak of past glories, and the Juyan Bamboo Slips that record the wisdom of ancient peoples. The ceaselessly flowing Heihe River and the endless desert create the geological wonder of the Heihe River Loop. Attractions include Mandarin Duck Lake, Jinta Temple, the Han Great Wall, the Ming Great Wall, and the ruins of the Jian Shui Jin Guan. Tomato cultivation in Jinta has a long history, dating back to the 1950s. Starting in 1993, agricultural science and technology personnel in Jinta County conducted extensive experiments, observations, and breeding work on introduced processing tomatoes, successfully selecting superior varieties suitable for cultivation in the region. Experimental results showed that Jinta Tomatoes exhibit high yield, excellent quality, strong drought resistance, uniform traits, and good marketability, with significant yield increases—up to 22% higher than the tested varieties. Due to their superior quality, disease resistance, and high yield, through continuous purification and strengthening, they have maintained excellent and pure genetic traits. Jinta County has accumulated rich experience and expertise in cultivating and processing tomatoes. Seven production lines imported from Italy, each capable of processing around 1,000 tons of tomatoes per day, have been established, achieving an annual processing capacity of 320,000 tons of tomatoes and production of 40,000 tons of tomato paste. Thanks to the unique qualities of Jinta Tomatoes, the tomatoes have high soluble solids content, high lycopene levels, and high per-unit yield. The fruits ripen集中的, the flesh is firm, the rate of rotten fruit is low, and the fruits are crack-resistant, pressure-resistant, and suitable for storage and transportation. They are ideal for making sauce, diced tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes, and are particularly well-suited for producing high-quality tomato paste. European and American countries have a high demand for this product, providing a broad market for Jinta’s canned tomatoes and boosting local tomato planting and processing. A relatively stable sales network has been established. Tomato paste products are exported to more than ten countries and regions, including Italy, Japan, South Korea, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, Nepal, South Africa, and Slovenia. The produced tomatoes have been certified by the Ministry of Agriculture as pollution-free agricultural products, and the tomato paste has been named a “Gansu Famous Brand Product” by Gansu Province. The unique geographical location and special ecological environment have given Jinta Tomatoes their distinctive characteristics: pure color, refreshing taste, uniform fruit shape, high red pigment content, and high soluble solids content.

　　In 2013, “Jinta Tomatoes,” applied for by the Jinta County Agricultural Technology Extension Center, passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, and were registered and protected as a national geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Jinta County, Gansu Province, is located between 97°58′–100°20′ east longitude and 39°47′–40°59′ north latitude, at the northern end of the Hexi Corridor, in the golden section of the ancient Silk Road, adjacent to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The county has an average elevation of about 1,100 meters, with a total area of 18,800 square kilometers, including 1.8 million mu of oasis area. The two major river systems, the Taolai River and the Heihe River, run through the entire territory. With mountains to the north and south and plains in the middle, it is a “green pearl” embedded on the edge of the Badain Jaran Desert. The county administers 10 townships (towns) and 86 administrative villages. The administrative regions originally included in the origin of Jinta Tomatoes are: Jinta Town, Sanhe Township, Dongba Town, -zi Township, Gucheng Township, Zhongdong Town, Xiba Township, and Yangjingziwan Township—eight townships in total. The area spans 1,400 hectares, with a total output of 136,900 tons and a total output value of 52.7 million yuan.