Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes

Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes

Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes are an agricultural product with geographical indication status.

　　Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes are a specialty of Wuyuan County, Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia. They are recognized as a national agricultural product with geographical indication protection.

　　In 2014, the "Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes" application submitted by the Wuyuan County Vegetable Office passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, resulting in their registration and protection as a national geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Wuyuan County is located on the Hetao Plain, famously known as the "800-li Granary of the Hetao Region." It boasts a history of 2,400 years and profound cultural heritage. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, it was named Wuyuan Commandery after the former Jiuyuan Commandery was renamed, and it became an official county in 1912, continuing to this day. Historically, Wuyuan was where General Meng Tian built the Great Wall to the north, where General Wei Qing fought against the Xiongnu, and where the poet Li Bai wrote the famous lines, “The distant Pass of Wuyuan, where northern snows flurry among borderland blooms.” Zhang Jingzhong also praised the area with his verse, “Returning late from Wuyuan, in February the willows show no threads of green.” In more recent history, Wang Tongchun, a local gentry figure revered as the “River God,” pioneered large-scale water conservancy projects, constructing canals and reclaiming land to farm, thereby initiating the region's transformation into the fertile, well-watered, and climate-friendly “Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall.” In modern times, General Feng Yuxiang swore his oath in Wuyuan, and General Fu Zuoyi led resistance efforts in the area during the War of Resistance, further cementing Wuyuan’s fame. According to the *Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Crop Seed Chronicles*, tomatoes were introduced to the region in 1936. Our county began cultivating yellow persimmon tomatoes in the 1960s and 1970s. This variety has been passed down through generations as a local landrace. As explained by Guo Ziyi, former head of the Wuyuan Vegetable Office and now general manager of Qitian Manor, along with experienced farmers such as Zhang Pei and Zhang Shufa, the yellow persimmon tomato was first successfully cultivated by large-scale farmers in Wuyuan County. Due to its golden color and excellent taste, it gradually spread to surrounding villages. Initially, yellow persimmon tomatoes were grown sporadically by local farmers and supplied locally. In recent years, with economic development and improved living standards, these tomatoes have gained widespread popularity among consumers due to their large size, thick flesh, low moisture content, sweet and sandy texture, and rich nutrition. They have since developed into a distinctive and influential agricultural product of Wuyuan County. With the rapid advancement of facility agriculture in the county, greenhouse cultivation of yellow persimmon tomatoes has expanded significantly. The high quality and strong profitability of greenhouse-grown produce have made it a new industry that increases vegetable farmers’ income. Currently, the off-season cultivation of yellow persimmon tomatoes in our county is mainly conducted in greenhouses, supplemented by plastic tunnels. The harvest season extends from mid-April to January of the following year, achieving near-year-round supply. The economic and social benefits are considerable. Greenhouse cultivation yields an average income of 40,000–60,000 RMB per mu, with the highest reaching 80,000 RMB. Plastic tunnel cultivation achieves an average profit of 15,000 RMB per mu. In recent years, by improving greenhouse quality and demonstrating advanced cultivation and management techniques, production efficiency has steadily increased. Farmers' enthusiasm has never been higher, with the planting area now exceeding 3,000 mu. The product's visibility and influence continue to expand, making the yellow persimmon tomato a signature agricultural product of Wuyuan County.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Wuyuan County is located in the western part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, within Bayannur City. It borders the Yellow River to the south, the Yin Mountains to the north, and is adjacent to Urad Front Banner to the east and west, as well as Linhe District. Its coordinates span longitude 107°35′70″ to 108°37′50″ and latitude 40°46′30″ to 41°16′45″. The county stretches approximately 62.5 kilometers from east to west and about 40 kilometers from north to south. Located in the heart of the Hetao Plain, the terrain is flat, with a slope of only 1/8,000. National Highway 110, the Beijing–Baotou–Mongolia Railway, and the G6 Beijing–Lhasa Expressway all run through the county. It administers nine towns, 117 administrative villages, and 774 village groups, with a total population of 303,000 and 52,978 households. Of these, 210,000 are agricultural residents, including 100,000 laborers. The protected geographical indication area for Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes covers a total production area of 200 hectares, yielding an annual production of 7,500 tons.

　　Product Quality and Characteristic Features

　　External Sensory Characteristics: Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes belong to the Solanaceae family and are a local specialty variety in our county. The average fruit weight is around 200–250g. They are golden yellow in color, large with thick flesh, low in moisture, sweet and sandy in texture, and rich in nutrients, making them highly favored by consumers. In recent years, with the rapid development of facility agriculture in the county, greenhouse cultivation of yellow persimmon tomatoes has expanded significantly. The high quality and profitability of the produce have made it a new industry that boosts farmers’ income. Internal Quality Characteristics: Wuyuan Yellow Persimmon Tomatoes are highly nutritious. Testing shows they contain 20–30 mg/100g of vitamin C, 2–6% soluble solids, and 0.4–0.65 g/100g total acid (calculated as citric acid). The product aids digestion and inhibits various bacteria. Safety Requirements: The growing environment strictly complies with the standards outlined in the *Pollution-Free Vegetable Production Environment Conditions* (NY5010—2001).