148th Regiment Colored Cotton

148th Regiment Colored Cotton

　　The 148th Regiment of the Eighth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps is located in Manas County, Xinjiang, on the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the southern edge of the Gurbantünggüt Desert in the Junggar Basin. Cotton cultivation began shortly after the regiment was established in 1950, making it a cotton-growing regiment of the Eighth Division and one of the earliest regions in Xinjiang to begin selecting and multiplying colored cotton varieties. Starting in 1999, the 148th Regiment established a colored cotton base and a high-standard experimental demonstration area for colored cotton. Due to its location at the center of the mid-latitude westerlies on the Eurasian continent, the region features cold winters, hot summers, large temperature variations, dry and windy conditions, abundant sunlight, and rich heat. There is little rainfall during the colored cotton harvest period, resulting in compact plant structure, pure and vivid color, soft texture, and suitability for medium to high-end textile production. Currently, the 148th Regiment’s colored cotton planting relies on the leading enterprise “Xiyu Colored Cotton,” adopting a company + base + farm workers industrial development model and following an order-based agricultural development path. The produced colored cotton is exported to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and other locations, while the “Xiyu Aries” brand series of colored cotton products, jointly developed with several national colored cotton enterprises, also enjoy strong market sales. Through continuous efforts, the 148th Regiment has been named the “Hometown of Chinese Colored Cotton” by the China Specialty Economic Professional Committee due to its early start in colored cotton cultivation, diverse varieties, high yield, large planting area, and superior quality.

　　Xinjiang Production

　　and Construction Corps

　　Agricultural Construction Eighth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps

　　Geographic Scope

　　The 148th Regiment colored cotton production area is located within the 148th (Xiyin) Regiment of the Eighth Agricultural Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in Manas, Xinjiang. It lies on the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the southern edge of the Gurbantünggüt Desert in the Junggar Basin, between 86°06′–86°24′ east longitude and 44°34′–45° north latitude. To the east it borders the Xinhu Farm, to the south the 147th Regiment, and to the north the desert, forming a contiguous area stretching from south to north with a length of 23.35 kilometers and a maximum width of 13.5 kilometers. The area is traversed by the Wusu-Kuytun Expressway, offering convenient transportation, and is located 78 kilometers from Shihezi. The production area features a typical temperate continental climate, characterized by long and harsh winters, short and hot summers, dry and low-rainfall growing seasons, and large temperature fluctuations, making it suitable for colored cotton cultivation. The geographic protection scope of 148th Regiment colored cotton covers five agricultural companies within the 148th Regiment. The colored cotton planting area spans 50,000 mu, with a per-mu seed cotton yield of 410 kilograms and a total seed cotton output of 20,500 tons.

　　Product Quality and Characteristic Features

　　This section primarily describes the unique quality characteristics of the registered product and the standards followed in terms of product quality and safety. It mainly includes: (1) External sensory characteristics: Natural colored fine lint cotton (brown), compact plant structure, concentrated boll opening, excellent quality, pure and vivid color, soft texture, suitable for medium to high-end textile use. (2) Safety requirements: The production and processing of 148th Regiment colored cotton strictly follow the Q/NBS148-002-2005 colored cotton quality system requirements; seed inspection complies with GB/T3543.5; pesticide use strictly adheres to the "Pesticide Management Regulations" and the "Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law" as stipulated in Announcement No. 806 of the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China.