Salt Lake Buckwheat

Salt Lake Buckwheat

Salt Lake Buckwheat is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The 120,000-mu buckwheat production base in Mahuangshan, Dashuikeng, Hui’anpu, and Wanglejing—four townships in Yanchi County, Ningxia—has been listed by the Ministry of Agriculture as a national standardized production base for green food raw materials.

　　The buckwheat-growing areas in Yanchi County and their surrounding regions are free from any pollution sources. With the use of non-highly toxic and non-high-residue pesticides, the produced buckwheat is rich in nutrients, high in quality, and has a good taste, making it highly favored by consumers.

　　Additionally, buckwheat is drought-resistant, making it a low-input, high-output crop that can still yield a harvest even in years of severe drought.

　　In recent years, green food enterprises in Yanchi County focusing on buckwheat and other small grains have continued to grow and strengthen, driving the development of the buckwheat industry. This has expanded the county’s buckwheat planting area from 200,000 mu to 250,000 mu, forming a distinctive advantage industry centered on small grains, primarily buckwheat. Once the buckwheat bases are fully established according to plan, the county can produce 6,000 tons of buckwheat annually, generating an income of 13 million yuan and increasing per capita income by 100 yuan. It can also engage 30,000 farmers in the production of green buckwheat, involve 500 laborers in the distribution of buckwheat, and further boost the packaging and transportation industries.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Yanchi County is located in the eastern part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, in the transitional zone between the Ordos Plateau and the Loess Plateau. It lies between 106°33′–107°47′ east longitude and 37°04′–38°10′ north latitude, with an average elevation of 1,600 meters. The county spans approximately 66 kilometers from east to west and about 110 kilometers from north to south. It borders Dingbian County of Shaanxi Province to the east, Huan County of Gansu Province to the south, Otog Front Banner of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north, and Lingwu and Tongxin counties (cities) of the region to the west, covering a total area of 8,661.3 square kilometers. The buckwheat production area of Yanchi spans all eight townships in the county. The regional production area amounts to 13,300 hectares, with an annual total output of 9,000 tons.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: Yanchi County boasts abundant land resources. Located in the transitional zone between the Ordos Plateau and the Loess Plateau, the central and northern parts of the county consist of gentle rolling hills with undulating terrain and continuous sand dunes, accounting for about 80% of the total area. The southern part is part of the Loess Plateau, characterized by crisscrossing gullies and alternating ridges and valleys, making up around 20% of the total area. The soil is mostly ordinary calcareous soil, light calcareous soil, and loessial soil, rich in calcium and phosphorus. It contains over 40 types of mineral elements. The local economy is primarily based on agriculture and animal husbandry, and agricultural products are minimally polluted, making it an excellent environment for green industries. The unique soil conditions are highly suitable for the ecological characteristics of buckwheat, making it one of the most suitable regions in the country for buckwheat growth. These factors provide a solid foundation for the development of Yanchi’s buckwheat industry.

　　(2) Hydrology: There are no rivers flowing through the buckwheat production areas of Yanchi, nor is there effective groundwater irrigation.

　　(3) Climate: Yanchi County has distinct seasons, long cold periods, concurrent rain and heat, and is a typical continental monsoon climate. The annual average temperature is 9.2°C, with 3,124 hours of sunlight. The annual precipitation is around 280 millimeters, and the annual

　　evaporation is 1,250–2,550 millimeters, concentrated between July and September. The average frost-free period is 148 days. During the buckwheat growing season, there is ample sunlight, moderate rainfall, and large diurnal temperature variations. The precipitation and heat conditions are sufficient to support the growth of Yanchi buckwheat.

　　(4) Humanistic History: Buckwheat has a long history of cultivation in Yanchi County. According to the *Yanchi County Annals*, buckwheat has been planted for nearly 1,000 years, resulting in stable local varieties such as Yanchi Brown Buckwheat, Bitter Buckwheat, Mixed Selection No. 3, and Japanese Hokkaido Sweet Buckwheat. According to *Plant Cultivation Studies*, Yanchi is the primary production area for buckwheat, with neighboring areas such as Dingbian County, Tongxin County, and some parts of Huan County also cultivating buckwheat, covering a planting area of over 300,000 mu and yielding approximately 15,000 tons of buckwheat annually. Historical and cultural influences have given rise to various buckwheat dishes: buckwheat noodles with vegetables, buckwheat dough pudding, cat ear noodles, chopped buckwheat noodles, paired with homemade pickled vegetables and lamb suet from Yanchi Tan Sheep. These dishes offer unique flavors, smooth textures, and refreshing options like buckwheat jelly, all of which are highly favored by consumers in Yanchi and surrounding areas. Buckwheat itself offers multiple health benefits, such as lowering blood lipids, preventing venous sclerosis, and improving cardiovascular function. In 2006, Yanchi County was designated by the Ministry of Agriculture as a standardized production base for green food raw materials, greatly boosting farmers’ enthusiasm for growing buckwheat and promoting its industrialization and scaling. The annual buckwheat planting area has consistently remained around 250,000 mu.

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Origin Selection and Special Provisions: The buckwheat-growing areas in Yanchi are located in remote mountainous regions. There are no industrial or mining enterprises within Yanchi, resulting in an unpolluted environment. Both the atmosphere and soil meet national standards, and the origin’s environmental quality must comply with the requirements of *Environmental Conditions for Non-Polluted Small Grain Production Areas* (NY5010-2002).

　　(2) Variety Selection and Specific Requirements: In addition to carefully selecting locally adapted and high-yield stable buckwheat varieties, it is necessary to promote high-performance improved varieties such as “Yuqiao No. 3” and “Shimane X.” Buckwheat seeds have a short lifespan and low germination rates after one year, so before sowing, it is essential to select large, plump, pure, and fresh seeds and undergo pre-sowing sun drying to enhance germination capacity, ensuring uniform and robust seedlings.

　　(3) Production Process Management: The buckwheat production process in Yanchi must comply with *Non-Polluted Food Cereals and Flour* (NY/T5222-2005).

　　(4) Product Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling: Buckwheat has an indeterminate inflorescence with a long flowering period, and its grains mature very unevenly and are prone to shattering. Harvesting should occur when the lower and middle leaves of the plant turn yellow and about two-thirds of the grains turn brown, to prevent yield loss due to freezing. Different varieties must be harvested, transported, threshed,

　　stored, processed, and packaged separately to avoid mixing with other grains. During harvesting, the stubble should be kept low, with minimal branch loss and a loss rate of less than 1%. After harvesting, the crop should be sun-dried for 5–7 days before timely threshing.

　　After threshing, manual winnowing or mechanical cleaning should be performed. Grains must be uniformly graded, with impurities and shriveled buckwheat removed, achieving consistent particle size, a breakage rate of less than 2%, impurities of less than 1%, and insect damage of less than 1%. The cleaned grains should be sun-dried for several days to reduce moisture content to below 15%.

　　(5) Production Record Requirements: Each buckwheat planting plot must maintain relevant documentation, including details on inputs, harmless treatment of farmyard manure, seed varieties, deep plowing and sun exposure times, planting dates, as well as field management such as weeding and harvesting/threshing times and storage management. Sales records, including sales contracts and channels, must also be kept. All records should be preserved for at least two years after the buckwheat is dispatched.

　　4. Typical Quality Characteristics and Product Quality

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Buckwheat grains are brown or black and triangular in shape.

　　(2) Internal Quality Indicators: It has a sweet taste and cool nature, containing various vitamins P (including the unique component rutin), proteins, carbohydrates, iron, calcium, zinc, and other minerals.

　　(3) Safety Requirements: Yanchi Buckwheat complies with the *Non-Polluted Food Cereals and Flour* standard NY5301-2005.

　　Packaging and Labeling Regulations

　　Yanchi Buckwheat is divided into two grades based on grain plumpness: special grade and first grade. It is packaged in woven bags, which must indicate the product batch number and bear the words “Yanchi Buckwheat.” Storage and transportation must follow the *Green Food Storage and Transportation Guidelines* (NY/T1056-2006).