Nenjiang Sugar Beets

Nenjiang Sugar Beets

Nenjiang Sugar Beets are a protected geographical indication product.

　　The soil in Nenjiang City is fertile and located in a high-sugar-yield production region, making it suitable for sugar beet cultivation. There are four cultivated varieties of sugar beets: sugar beet, leaf beet, root beet, and fodder beet. Sugar beet, which is used as a raw material for sugar production, is a biennial crop. Sugar beets are a treasure trove of uses. The main product of sugar beets is sugar. Sugar is an essential nutrient in people's lives and also an important raw material for the food industry, beverage industry, and pharmaceutical industry. In addition to producing sucrose, sugar beets and their by-products have broad prospects for development and utilization.

　　Nenjiang City is located in the northwest of Heilongjiang Province, at the northern end of the Songnen Plain, and is named after the Nenjiang River that runs through the area. It covers an area of 6,674 square kilometers, governs 15 towns, 2 streets, 14 agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry farms, and 171 administrative villages. The city is home to 25 ethnic groups, including Han, Manchu, Mongolian, Hui, and Ewenki, with a total population of 740,000. Nenjiang City is known as the "Sugar Beet Capital of China." The city’s soil is fertile and located in a high-sugar-yield production region, making it suitable for sugar beet cultivation. There are four cultivated varieties of sugar beets: sugar beet, leaf beet, root beet, and fodder beet. Sugar beet, which is used as a raw material for sugar production, is a biennial crop. Sugar beets are a treasure trove of uses, with sugar as the main product. Sugar is also an important raw material for the food industry, beverage industry, and pharmaceutical industry.

　　In response to market demands, Nenjiang City has intensified the promotion of sugar beet planting cooperatives, enabling many participating farmers to engage in contiguous planting and large-scale operations. By 2011, an industrialized model of "enterprise + cooperative + farmer + base planting" had gradually been established, along with a new system where sugar-making enterprises directly connect with farmers and sign sugar beet planting contracts. This has strengthened measures such as the supply of production materials and technical support, laying a solid foundation for building a sugar beet production base and establishing Nenjiang as the "Sugar Beet Sugar Capital." Last year, the actual planted area of sugar beets in Nenjiang City was 100,000 mu, with 266,000 tons of sugar beets purchased.

　　Nenjiang Sugar Beets are a protected geographical indication product.

　　Quality and Technical Requirements for Nenjiang Sugar Beets

　　I. Varieties

　　Varieties suitable for the production area shall be selected, such as KUHN8060, HI0466, and HI0474.

　　II. Site Conditions

　　The soil types are black soil and chernozem, with soil organic matter content ≥3.5% and plowing layer depth ≥30 cm. Flat plains and gentle slopes with flat terrain and good drainage should be chosen, while in arid areas, well-drained low-lying fields should be selected.

　　III. Cultivation Management

　　1. Crop Rotation: Rotate with non-sugar beet crops every five years.

　　2. Seedling Raising: Select a wind-sheltered and sunny location with convenient water sources for seedling raising. Use wheat or corn stubble soil that has not previously grown sugar beets as bed soil, with a ratio of farmyard manure to bed soil of 1:10. In normal years, seedling raising begins between April 1 and April 10. After sowing, pay attention to the temperature, humidity, and ventilation of the seedbed.

　　3. Transplanting: When the seedlings have grown 4 to 6 true leaves and after the last frost, transplant them with water. Ensure that the paper pots do not protrude from the ground and that the seedlings are not buried. Maintain 67,500 to 75,000 plants per hectare.

　　4. Fertilization: Apply 30 to 45 tons of farmyard manure per hectare during land preparation, along with an appropriate amount of bio-fertilizer. When ridging, apply 600 kg per hectare of 45% sugar beet-specific fertilizer using deep fertilization methods. Conduct foliar fertilization based on the growth conditions during the seedling stage and mid-to-late stages.

　　5. Environmental and Safety Requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other inputs must comply with national regulations, and environmental pollution must be avoided.

　　IV. Harvesting and Processing

　　1. Harvesting: Harvest in late September, followed by immediate cutting, packaging, and sale.

　　2. Processing Flow: Cleaning → Cutting → Measuring and Packaging → Sale.

　　V. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics: Conical or wedge-shaped, with a diameter of 12 to 20 cm, regular root shape, and no hollow core.

　　2. Physicochemical Indicators: Sugar content ≥17.5%, original juice purity ≥85%.

　　3. Safety and Other Quality Technical Requirements: Product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with national regulations.