Licorice from Jinta

Licorice from Jinta

　　  Jinta County is rich in licorice resources. From the banks of Yuanyang Pool to both sides of the Heihe River, from barren hills and wild ridges to fields and roadside areas, large expanses of licorice grow naturally, and it can also be cultivated on a large scale artificially. Traders come to Jinta in an endless stream to purchase licorice, mainly because of its high quality and abundant yield. The superior quality is determined by the region’s special geographical environment and climatic conditions.

    Licorice is a precious medicinal herb. Li Shizhen wrote in the Compendium of Materia Medica: "Licorice is sweet and warm, harmonizing all herbs. When roasted, it warms the middle; when raw, it purges fire." It can relieve discomfort, nourish weakness, moisten the lungs and detoxify, strengthen the spleen and stomach, relieve coughs and eliminate phlegm, as well as harmonize various herbs. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is hailed as the "king of all medicines." Licorice is a herbaceous plant of the legume family, with the medicinal parts being its roots and rhizomes. Licorice is also used as an industrial raw material. It is commonly used as a sweetener in the food industry, as well as in tobacco, beverages, and other industries, and can also serve as an additive in the textile and dyeing industries.

    Due to Jinta’s arid surface, soft soil, and large diurnal temperature variations, the region is highly suitable for both artificial cultivation and natural growth of licorice, making it one of the world’s best licorice-producing areas. The main varieties of licorice in Jinta include Glycyrrhiza uralensis, which are primarily distributed in the Gobi and desert areas at the edges of oases. The total area of both artificial cultivation and natural growth, along with the annual production and procurement volume, continues to rise, indicating broad prospects for licorice production.