Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes

Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes

Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes are a product with geographical indication for agricultural goods.

　　 Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes have a long history of cultivation. They are named “Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes” because they are grown in the unique red sandy soil found only in Gaolan. The origin area of Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes is located between longitude 103°32′ to 104°22′ east and latitude 36°05′ to 36°50′ north. The average elevation of the producing area is around 1,700 meters, characterized by a temperate semi-arid climate with dry weather and scarce rainfall. The average annual temperature is 7.2°C, the average annual precipitation is 266 mm, the annual sunshine duration is 2,768 hours, and the frost-free period is 144 days. Local farmers invented the practice of covering the fields with a layer of the region’s special red sandy soil, commonly known as “red sandy land,” which helps lower the soil’s pH level, resist alkalinity, and combat drought. This red sandy land is particularly suitable for growing Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes, leading to the continuous growth of the industry.

　　Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes are a major distinctive industry developed by Gaolan County using its natural resources. With a bright skin tone, their tubers feature a light earthy to light brown color, moderate and uniform size, with individual tuber weight ranging from 175 grams to 199 grams. They are of high quality, rich in nutrition, primarily composed of starch, with up to 80% of dry matter being starch. In fresh tubers, the starch content is 14%–19%, and crude protein is 1.52%. On July 26, 1999, they were assessed by the Shaanxi Yangling Agricultural Product Appraisal Center under the National Ministry of Agriculture. According to the ZBB23008—85 standard, they were comprehensively rated as first-grade produce and named “Star Brand Red Sandy Potatoes.” Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes mature 15–20 days earlier than regular upland or lowland potatoes, with a yield per mu that is about 15% higher, and a commercial rate of up to around 80%. In 1995, the price reached 1.1 yuan per kilogram. Wei Qingzhou from Mingxing Second Production Team planted 3 mu of Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes in 1995, achieving sales revenue of 7,000 yuan, including 3,000 yuan from just 1 mu. Currently, Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes not only dominate the markets in Lanzhou and Baiyin but are also exported to provinces and cities such as Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Shanghai, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, and Sichuan. Some first-grade produce is exported to Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Russia.

　　Thanks to their high starch content, Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes have a wide range of uses. They can be eaten as vegetables or staples. Apart from being consumed fresh, they can be processed into Gaolan Red Sandy Potato Snowflake Flour, mashed potato powder, potato chips, puffed snacks, crispy fries, potato pies, canned goods, as well as edible vermicelli, noodles, and sheets. They are also the preferred raw material for starch production, and their starch is widely used in food, feed, medicine, chemicals, textiles, papermaking, rubber, petroleum, and wastewater treatment. In addition, by-products such as processed wastewater and waste residue can be utilized comprehensively to produce various chemical materials, such as feed yeast, combustible gas, and high-efficiency liquid fertilizer.

　　To grow the Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes industry as a distinctive and competitive sector, the county has formulated planting plans and protocols, dispatched agricultural technicians to provide on-site guidance, and established the Gaolan County Mingxing Red Sandy Potato Association, Gaolan County Fengshui Village Red Sandy Potato Association, Gaolan County Zhongbao Village Red Sandy Potato Production and Sales Association, as well as the Gaolan County Mingxin Red Sandy Potato Professional Cooperative. These organizations offer farmers comprehensive services throughout the entire production process. Currently, the planting area of Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes has reached over 50,000 mu.

　　Region and Scope

　　Gaolan County is located in central Gansu and the northern suburbs of Lanzhou. The main growing areas of Red Sandy Potatoes are distributed across 40 administrative villages in five towns and townships in Gaolan County: Shidong Town, Heishichuan Township, Jiuhe Town, Zhonghe Town, and Shuifu Township. These areas lie between longitude 103°32′–104°22′ and latitude 36°05′–36°50′, featuring an interlaced mountain and valley terrain sloping from northwest to southeast, with an average elevation of around 1,700 meters. The total annual planting area of Red Sandy Potatoes is 2,650 hectares, with an annual output of 119,250 tons and a production value exceeding 300 million yuan.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: “Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes” have shiny skins, with a light earthy or light brown surface, moderate size, shallow and few eyes, and individual tuber weights between 170 and 260 grams. They are rich in starch and crude protein, offering high nutritional value. When steamed, boiled, or roasted, the potatoes have a soft, sweet, and sandy texture; when stir-fried, they are crispy. 2. Unique Internal Composition: Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes contain soluble solids ≥6.2g/100g; protein ≥2.0g/100g; iron ≥0.60mg/100g; zinc ≥0.55mg/100g. 3. Safety Requirements: The growing environment of Gaolan Red Sandy Potatoes complies with NY5010 (Pollution-Free Food – Technical Specifications for Potato Growing Environments); product quality meets the GB/T8321 Potato Quality Standards and adheres to the new hygiene standards for Red Sandy Potatoes. The entire production process is controlled according to the NY5024 (Pollution-Free Food – Potatoes) protocol.