Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots

Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots

Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots are a specialty of Xincheng Town, Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province. Known for their crisp sweetness, uniform shape, and bright color, these carrots enjoy a strong reputation in the markets of Jiayuguan and Jiuquan. Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots are a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Jiayuguan is a key junction along the ancient Silk Road and the western terminus of the Ming Dynasty’s Great Wall. Here, remnants of the ancient trade route connecting China and the West—opened over two thousand years ago—and the beacon towers of historic battlegrounds can still be seen. It is the meeting point of China’s Silk Road culture and Great Wall culture, often referred to as the “Important Town of Hexi” and the “Key to the Frontier.” Jiayuguan is an industrial tourism city named after the world-famous “First and Greatest Pass Under Heaven”—the Jiayuguan Pass. Known as the “Steel City of the Gobi,” it boasts majestic Han and Ming Dynasty sections of the Great Wall, the Jiayuguan Pass Fortress, the First Pier of the Great Wall, and the Overhanging Great Wall. The area also features unique western landscapes such as the July 1st Glacier—the closest glacier to a city in Asia—and the snow-capped Qilian Mountains. The Jiayuguan International Gliding Base, one of the world’s top three gliding hubs, is located in Xincheng Town. Additionally, the national AAAAA-level Jiayuguan Pass Cultural Tourism Scenic Area enjoys international renown. Nigou Village in Xincheng Town, Jiayuguan City, is located northeast of the city, about 37 kilometers from the urban center. The village has abundant water resources and fertile sandy loam meadow soil, suitable for growing a variety of staple crops including carrots, corn, wheat, and onions. Thanks to its unique soil, water, and ample sunlight, the carrots produced here are renowned for their excellent quality, distinctive flavor, vibrant color, smooth exterior, uniform shape, thick flesh, crisp juiciness, small core, low green-shoulder rate, high yield, and attractive market appearance. Even carrots from nearby villages like Zhonggou and Xincheng can’t compare. Carrot cultivation in Nigou Village has a long history. In 138 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian on his first mission to the Western Regions, gradually opening up the renowned Silk Road. Trade between the Central Plains and the Western Regions grew increasingly close, and certain fruits and vegetables from the West were introduced to Han China around that time—including not only carrots, but also fava beans, cucumbers, walnuts, pepper, as well as grapes, watermelon, and alfalfa. The Xiongnu people were vaguely referred to as “Hu people” in those early days. When Zhang Qian brought back these items, people didn’t know their real names. Observing that they resembled our radishes but were smaller, and since they came from the “Hu lands,” they were simply named “carrots” (胡萝卜, Húluóbo). In the last century, carrot cultivation in Nigou Village mainly involved dryland flat planting with sand cover. Sowing typically took place in mid-to-late May, with harvest and market availability in October. The varieties planted were all local farmer-retained seeds, such as Yazhouche, Wucunshen, and Qitouhong. Cultivation areas were small, management was relatively extensive, yields were low, but there were no pests or diseases, and the carrots were crisp and tasty—especially suitable for fresh consumption. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the establishment of comprehensive agricultural technology service stations at the municipal and town levels, Jiayuguan agricultural technicians focused on improving carrot quality and yield. Building on traditional farmer methods, through trials of new carrot varieties, they selected a number of superior hybrid carrot varieties for farmers, such as the Chunhong series and Improved Special Grade Sanhong. They promoted a model where both hybrid and conventional farmer seeds were used, gradually increasing farmers’ enthusiasm and cultivation techniques, as well as expanding planting areas year by year—from just over 500 mu in the 1960s and 70s to around 6,000 mu. In terms of storage methods, the practice shifted from autumn cellar storage to on-site ditch storage, and later the “on-site straw cover and soil press” method was developed, allowing farmers to dig and sell carrots according to market conditions. This greatly reduced labor intensity while preserving the quality, freshness, and characteristics of the carrots upon market arrival. Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots are a single-season crop planted in spring and harvested in autumn, supplying the market from October of the same year through March to April of the next year. After April, the market supply of carrots becomes scarce, and prices in major agricultural markets and supermarkets remain high, making carrots a true “luxury vegetable.” With changing market demands and foreign trade requirements, higher standards were set for internal quality, appearance, taste, and year-round supply. In 2007, the origin of Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots was certified as pollution-free by the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry’s Non-pollution Certification Committee. In 2008, Jiayuguan agricultural technicians, drawing on carrot cultivation experiences elsewhere, conducted trials and demonstrations of early-spring carrot ridge sowing under steel-frame greenhouse insulation, as well as the promotion of standardized pollution-free carrot cultivation techniques—achieving success and further improving carrot quality and yield. Carrots hit the market between June and July, fetching high prices due to their superior appearance and internal quality. They became highly favored by urban and rural residents, yielding clear economic benefits for farmers, and the technique received positive feedback from growers. In 2009, Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots also obtained national pollution-free agricultural product certification from the Ministry of Agriculture. These efforts laid the foundation for large-scale carrot development. In recent years, the village has actively adapted to market changes, leveraging its natural resource advantages to adjust its agricultural structure. Nigou Village proposed the development goal of “building a carrot brand and strengthening the Nigou carrot industry,” leading to a surge in cultivation to over 10,000 mu. This attracted merchants from outside the village to purchase large quantities, with 50% of the produce sold to Sichuan, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and other regions, and some exported to Japan, South Korea, and other countries. Developing the carrot industry has now become a key pathway to prosperity for local farmers. In recent years, whether through provincial agricultural department spot checks or city-run inspections, Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots have maintained a 100% pass rate. Currently, the annual planting area of Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots has stabilized at over 10,000 mu, accounting for 64% of the village’s total cultivated land. Annual production reaches 54,050 tons, generating output value of 1.081 billion yuan, making it a pillar industry for the village.

　　In recent years, Nigou Village in Xincheng Town, Jiayuguan City, Gansu Province, has made full use of its geographical and natural environmental advantages to promote high-quality carrot cultivation and successfully explored preservation methods. These carrots, known for their crisp sweetness, uniform shape, and bright color, enjoy a strong reputation in the markets of Jiayuguan and Jiuquan, becoming one of the main sources of income for the villagers.

　　Nigou Village in Xincheng Town is located on the edge of Caohu, with low-lying terrain and abundant water resources. The village has over 20 years of experience in carrot cultivation. In recent years, by promoting high-quality varieties and developing off-season fresh vegetables for market, the economic returns of carrot farming have significantly improved, with a net income of over 4,000 yuan per mu.

　　In 2013, the “Jiayuguan Nigou Carrots” application submitted by the Jiayuguan Agricultural Technology Extension Station passed the review of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center and expert evaluation, and was officially registered as a national geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The carrot cultivation area of Nigou Village, Jiayuguan, is located northeast of the city, approximately 37 kilometers from downtown Jiayuguan. It lies between 98°4′–98°36′ east longitude and 39°38′–40°38′ north latitude, at an elevation of 1,412–1,474 meters. The terrain slopes from southwest to northeast, with a natural gradient of 12.5‰. To the east is the important Hexi city of Jiuquan, to the south are the perennially snow-capped Qilian Mountains, to the north is Jinta County, and to the west is Yumen City. Nigou Village is one of the nine administrative villages under Xincheng Town. Although carrots are grown in all villages of Xincheng, Nigou Village is the primary producer, and its carrots are uniquely high in quality. The village has nine villager groups, 947 households, and a population of 4,322, with 16,182 mu of arable land—of which 10,810 mu are devoted to carrot cultivation, yielding 54,050 tons annually. It is widely known as the “Carrot Planting Village” and has become an important pillar industry for increasing villagers’ incomes.