Kulun Buckwheat

Kulun Buckwheat

Kulun Buckwheat is a protected geographical indication product.

Kulun Buckwheat is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　1. Overview of Buckwheat

　　Kulun Banner has a long history of buckwheat cultivation. Due to its unique geographical environment and climatic conditions, Kulun buckwheat has developed distinctive qualities. Rich in protein, fat, various mineral elements with health benefits, and vitamins, it is highly favored by people. Especially notable is its unique rutin content, which helps soften blood vessels, lower blood lipids and cholesterol, making it an important staple food for people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Kulun buckwheat is also renowned both domestically and internationally for its superior quality. In 2006, it was officially approved by the National Trademark Office as the "Kulun Buckwheat" origin certification trademark, becoming the first agricultural product origin certification trademark in the region.

　　2. Cultivation of Kulun Buckwheat

　　Kulun buckwheat comes in two main varieties: large three-edged and small three-edged, with the large three-edged currently being the primary type. This variety has a dark gray seed coat, large grains, a three-edged shape, and a thousand-grain weight of 32 grams. The plants generally grow to about 100 cm in height, are highly resistant to stress, and are suitable for planting in sandy loam soil. They have thick main stems, few branches, and are ideal for dense planting without lodging. Typically, each plant has 3–4 branches, which grow relatively high—about 25 cm from the ground—making them easy to harvest. The spike-like inflorescence produces white flowers, with each plant yielding around 30 spikes, each spike bearing 5–10 grains, and the top spike bearing approximately 50–70 grains.

　　3. Nutritional Value of Buckwheat

　　Buckwheat is highly nutritious. Analysis shows that its grains contain 7.94–17.15% protein, 2.00–3.64% fat, 67.45–79.15% starch, and 1.04–1.33% fiber. Japanese researchers have reported that the nutritional efficiency index of buckwheat is 80–92 (compared to 70 for wheat and 50 for rice).

　　According to analysis by the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the protein content of buckwheat flour is significantly higher than that of rice, millet, wheat, sorghum, corn flour, and tsampa. Buckwheat flour contains 18 types of amino acids, with an amino acid profile similar to that of legume proteins. Its fat content is also higher than that of rice, wheat flour, and tsampa. Buckwheat fat includes nine fatty acids, with oleic acid and linoleic acid being the most abundant, accounting for 75% of the total fatty acids, along with 19% palmitic acid and 4.8% linolenic acid. It also contains organic acids such as citric acid, oxalic acid, and malic acid. Additionally, buckwheat contains trace amounts of calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, and micronutrients like selenium, boron, iodine, nickel, and cobalt, as well as various vitamins: Vb1, Vb2, Vc, Ve, VPP, VP. Among these, VP (rutin) and chlorophyll are not found in other cereal crops. The nutritional content of buckwheat grains varies depending on the variety and cultivation conditions. These substances play important roles in human physiological metabolism. With the advancement of modern science and technology, the improvement of living standards, and the increasing demand for high-quality and diverse foods, buckwheat is gaining popularity as a healthy food.

　　Buckwheat has a fragrant taste and is widely enjoyed in China's northeastern, northern, northwestern, and southwestern regions, as well as in Japan, Korea, and the former Soviet Union. Buckwheat-based foods are made directly from buckwheat grains and flour. Buckwheat grains are commonly used to make buckwheat rice, porridge, and flakes. Like other flours, buckwheat flour can be used to produce noodles, pancakes, bread, pastries, buckwheat crisps, cold noodles, blood tofu, and sausages, among other traditional foods. The Japanese are particularly fond of buckwheat noodles, with around 5,000 buckwheat noodle restaurants nationwide. Buckwheat can also be used to make wine, which is clear in color and beneficial to health when consumed regularly. Buckwheat leaves are also highly nutritious, and their development and research are gaining attention globally. Some use dried leaves to make buckwheat tea, while others use young buckwheat sprouts as vegetables.

　　4. Medicinal Value of Buckwheat

　　Herbal texts from the Tang and Song dynasties onward contain numerous records of buckwheat being used to treat illnesses. The *Taiwan Envoy’s Records* note: “For infants with illness, a small amount of buckwheat flour mixed with boiling water and taken immediately provides relief.” The *Qimin Yaoshu* (Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People) states: “For those suffering from migraines and cold sensitivity, mixing flour with hot water to form a paste and steaming it helps induce sweating. Even those with decades-long conditions can recover. Also, for those experiencing mild abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea four or five times a day, which causes significant harm over time, eating only buckwheat for two or three days leads to a miraculous recovery.” The *Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica* describes buckwheat as benefiting the stomach and intestines and boosting energy. Ming dynasty’s Li Shizhen listed in the *Compendium of Materia Medica* sixteen prescriptions for treating diseases with buckwheat. Over time, the Chinese people have also developed many dietary therapies for conditions such as beriberi, dysentery, erysipelas, migraines, cold sensitivity, and abdominal pain. Practical experience has shown that buckwheat-based foods can kill intestinal bacteria, eliminate indigestion, cool the blood, remove dampness, detoxify, treat nephritis, and erode malignant tissues in the body. Buckwheat porridge can alleviate heartburn and constipation, while buckwheat-based ointments can treat rashes, eczema, and other skin conditions. In recent years, as research on buckwheat has deepened, it has been discovered that over 50% of the protein in buckwheat consists of albumin and globulin, similar to legume proteins. Its fat is primarily unsaturated fatty acids, with oleic acid and linoleic acid accounting for about 80% of the total fat content. It is also rich in vitamins and mineral elements, surpassing the quality of wheat flour and rice. Buckwheat is not only highly nutritious but also contains various medicinal components, especially flavonoids with rutin as the main component. Rutin can prevent cerebral hemorrhage, pulmonary hemorrhage, pleurisy, peritonitis, hemorrhagic nephritis, subcutaneous bleeding, and bleeding from the nose, throat, and gums caused by capillary fragility. It is also used to treat glaucoma and hypertension. Additionally, it helps manage diabetes and its associated retinitis. As living standards improve and health awareness increases, buckwheat—as a dual-purpose grain and medicinal crop—can be used to create a variety of ideal health foods, making it increasingly valued.

　　5. Economic Value of Buckwheat

　　Buckwheat not only provides food for humans, fodder for livestock, feed for poultry, and nectar for bees, but also helps prevent and treat diseases while strengthening the body. Buckwheat husks have long been an excellent material for pillow fillings, and long-term use of buckwheat husk pillows has a heat-clearing and vision-improving effect. Recent studies show that the ash content of buckwheat husks contains about 4.6% potassium carbonate. Currently, the export price of buckwheat husks is higher than that of buckwheat itself, and it is estimated to be mainly used for pharmaceutical and industrial research and development. Therefore, the comprehensive utilization of deep-processed buckwheat holds great potential. In recent years, China’s industrial development of buckwheat in food, brewing, and pharmaceutical fields has ranked among the world’s best, with export products generating several to dozens of times more value than raw buckwheat exports.

　　Buckwheat is considered an emerging global crop due to its unique nutritional value. Although it is a minor crop, it compensates for the shortcomings and deficiencies of major crops: it can be grown in short growing seasons, cold climates, and poor soils where major crops cannot thrive. It not only contains the nutrients found in major crops but also includes essential components not present in them but required by the human body. Every part of the buckwheat plant is valuable—its tender shoots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, roots, stalks, husks, and grains are all useful. From natural resource utilization and soil enrichment to agriculture and animal husbandry, from the food industry to light chemical production, from food (with food and medicine sharing the same origin) to health and disease prevention, and from domestic to international markets, buckwheat has considerable market potential. In specialty agriculture, buckwheat demonstrates unique economic value. Therefore, vigorously developing buckwheat production, transforming its resource advantages into commercial advantages, and achieving increased production and income are of great practical significance for improving living standards, preventing diseases, and promoting rural economic development.

　　In recent years, Kulun Banner has leveraged its buckwheat resource advantages, organized farmers to build farmland water conservancy infrastructure, expanded buckwheat planting scale, and increased yields. On the basis of promoting high-quality varieties, the banner invested 4.1 million yuan to establish a 10,000-mu buckwheat seed breeding base, bringing the total buckwheat planting area to 400,000 mu and production to 50 million kilograms. Buckwheat products such as buckwheat grains, noodles, honey, and husk-filled pillows are popular both domestically and internationally. After obtaining national origin trademark certification, the banner’s buckwheat has truly established the brand of the “Hometown of Chinese Buckwheat,” further expanding planting scale and extending the industrial chain, thereby accelerating the path to prosperity for local farmers and herders.

　　Relying on the brand advantage of the “Buckwheat Origin Trademark Certification,” Kulun Banner has carefully developed a miscellaneous grain brand centered on buckwheat. Led by key processing enterprises, its series of products have secured international orders and entered overseas markets in Southeast Asia and Europe and America. Qiantian Ecological Technology Co., Ltd. has built a buckwheat deep-processing factory in Kulun Banner. The enterprise has introduced top-tier processing equipment from home and abroad, specializing in buckwheat and related products such as buckwheat grains, flour, and husks. Additionally, they operate under a “company + base + farmer” model, continuously increasing efforts in buckwheat planting, processing, and sales, and have begun moving toward industrialization. One success has led to many others. Driven by the buckwheat industrial chain, various sectors in the banner are tapping into their potential, with industrialization flourishing everywhere. Under the influence of Qiantian Ecological Technology Co., Ltd., 15 minor grain varieties in the banner have obtained German BCS certification, and currently, processed minor grains have generated over 4 million USD in export earnings.

　　Located on Hailar East Road in Hohhot, the Seine Hotel is a uniquely distinctive catering establishment, specializing in buckwheat-based noodles. Since opening in 2005, it has a total business area of over 4,600 square meters and is a comprehensive hotel offering dining, accommodation, and recreational services. It receives around 500 customers daily, and reservations must often be made two or three days in advance. The general manager of the Seine Hotel, Chagtai, is a Mongolian from Kulun Banner, Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia. Coming to Hohhot from his hometown, he grew his business through years of market experience. The Seine Hotel’s buckwheat-based dishes, a signature feature, have won the favor of many consumers, attracting residents of Hohhot and nearby areas to drive there specifically. Within just three years, the Seine Hotel rapidly gained popularity in Hohhot. When people think of “Kulun buckwheat,” they think of the Seine Hotel. Any visitors to Inner Mongolia, aside from trying Mongolian specialties like hand-grabbed lamb and dairy products, also make sure to enjoy a meal of “Kulun buckwheat” noodles. As a result, in major Inner Mongolian cities like Hohhot, Baotou, Chifeng, and Jining, the number of buckwheat noodle restaurants has been increasing in recent years. Ranging from modest street-side shops to upscale dining establishments and even luxury hotels, the Seine Hotel stands out as one of the best.

　　With the enrichment and improvement of social material life, the demand for green health foods is growing. Folk experts from the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences believe that over the 30 years since reform and opening up, people’s lifestyles have become increasingly urbanized. Market demand has driven “Kulun buckwheat” out of Kulun Banner and into major cities, becoming a beautiful sight in urban life. Experts note that more and more consumers prefer authentic, pure green foods, and “Kulun buckwheat” is a favorite on their dining tables.

　　Today, Kulun’s buckwheat yellow wine, buckwheat liquor, buckwheat grains, noodles, instant noodles, and other series of products are not only popular in domestic markets like Beijing, Tianjin, and Shenyang but have also gone abroad, reaching Japan, Korea, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries as well as Europe and America, truly achieving export earnings.