Xin Shuanghe Cherries

Xin Shuanghe Cherries

　　During the wave of reform and opening-up in the last century, the people of Hebei Village keenly recognized the potential of agricultural commodity economy. In 1986, they established Shunyi District’s first large-scale cherry orchard covering 600 acres — the Shuanghe Orchard. In the early stages of the orchard’s development, the villagers actively collaborated with the Fruit Tree Research Institute of the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences. They vigorously promoted over ten advanced techniques such as soil improvement and fertilization, as well as high-light-efficiency tree structure transformation. They were also the first to introduce more than 100 high-quality cherry varieties from both domestic and international sources. At the same time, they built nurseries for high-quality cherry rootstocks and variety germplasm resources, preserving excellent cherry varieties suitable for cultivation in the Beijing area. These efforts laid a solid foundation for the growth and expansion of the cherry industry in Hebei Village and even Shunyi District.

　　    By 2004, the Shuanghe Orchard in Hebei Village had become a comprehensive orchard integrating ecological demonstration, flower viewing and fruit tasting, picking and recreation, leisure vacation, and production income generation. It also obtained international ISO14001 environmental quality certification. In 2007, the villagers of Hebei Village owned their first registered trademark — “Xin Shuanghe.” In 2008, the Shuanghe Orchard in Hebei Village received organic product certification issued by the China Quality Certification Center, and the experience was promoted throughout the village, achieving organic certification for a thousand acres of cherry orchards. In the same year, cherries from Hebei Village were selected as “Olympic Recommended Fruits,” and the Hebei Village Cherry Orchard became an “Olympic Fruit Special Supply Base.” In 2009, the “King of Beijing Cherries” was born in Hebei Village.

　　    Nowadays, Hebei Village has successfully developed three premium cherry brands: “Xin Shuanghe,” “Caihong,” and “Ren Zhi Chu.” Every year during May and June, the village sees a continuous stream of visitors coming to sightsee and pick cherries. According to statistics, the village receives over 90,000 visitors annually. The suburban cherry culture in Beijing has become a fashionable form of leisure and entertainment for residents.