Tailai Mung Beans

Tailai Mung Beans

Tailai Mung Beans are a product with geographical indication.

　　Tailai Mung Beans

　　Tailai County, known as the "Hometown of Mung Beans," has now become a production base yielding nearly 10,000 tons of mung beans annually. The "Tailaifu" brand mung beans have become the top choice for showcasing at the Harbin Economic and Trade Fair and gaining popularity at the Green Food Expo.

　　I. Superior Cultivation Conditions

　　Tailai County is situated at the upper limit of the first accumulated temperature zone in Heilongjiang Province, with an annual active accumulated temperature of 2,877 degrees, earning it the reputation of the "Little Jiangnan of the North." It enjoys abundant light and heat conditions. The average annual rainfall is about 400 millimeters, and the area features one river and five streams, along with 374 ponds and marshes. The underground water is of high quality, unpolluted, and virtually inexhaustible—with wells as shallow as 20 meters generally sufficient for irrigation. The 500,000-mu sandy loam soil is ideal for mung bean growth, providing naturally superior conditions for producing pollution-free and green food mung beans.

　　II. Long Cultivation History

　　Mung bean cultivation in Tailai County has a long history, dating back to the 1950s. Over the years, rich experience has been accumulated, and advanced production techniques have been developed. A large number of specialized mung bean growers have emerged, forming large-scale production within the county. The China Specialties Hometown Recommendation and Organization Committee has named Tailai County the "Hometown of Mung Beans in China."

　　III. Excellent Quality and Considerable Yield

　　Due to the favorable climate and soil conditions that are highly suitable for mung bean cultivation, the mung beans produced in Tailai are plump, glossy, and of superior quality compared to those from other regions. These beans are highly nutritious, containing 24 types of trace elements. They are high in protein, low in fat, rich in potassium, low in sodium, and high in iron and zinc. They offer various health benefits such as clearing heat and toxins, relieving summer heat and promoting urination, detoxifying alcohol and stopping dysentery, replenishing vitality, and protecting the liver and stomach. As a natural medicine and food, they have wide applications and are in high demand.

　　Currently, the main varieties grown in Tailai County include Dayaning'e Green, Xiaoning'e Green, 522, 9346, and Nenfeng 2. Nearly 200,000 mu of mung beans are planted annually, yielding around 20,000 tons.

　　IV. Promising Market Prospects

　　Mung beans are a type of coarse grain crop and one of China’s main edible legumes. They serve multiple purposes—as food, vegetables, feed, medicine, and fertilizer—and are highly nutritious while also possessing good nitrogen-fixing capabilities. Mung beans are an export-oriented crop and an important traditional export commodity in China. Chinese mung beans are known for their high quality and competitive pricing, making them popular among foreign consumers. Currently, China exports around 100,000 tons of mung beans per year. After joining the WTO, the production of major crops such as wheat, corn, and soybeans has been somewhat affected, whereas edible legumes like mung beans are expected to capture the domestic market with their unique advantages, maintaining stable and even rising prices.

　　V. Industrialization Level Needs Improvement

　　The main production areas of mung beans in Tailai County are Heping, Tazicheng, Shengli, and Keli townships. These areas have already achieved considerable scale, laying a solid foundation for industrialization. Over the past few years, a group of mung bean brokers has emerged, numbering over 100 across the county, playing a significant role in providing information and facilitating sales, thereby closely connecting farmers with the market. The future direction of industrialization is to extend the industrial chain, intensify efforts to attract investment, establish leading mung bean processing enterprises, and follow the industrialization path of "leading enterprises + bases + farmers."

　　VI. Continuous Optimization of Cultivation Techniques

　　To meet the requirements of producing green food, Tailai County has vigorously promoted green food mung bean cultivation techniques since 2000. The "Tailai County Green Food Mung Bean Production Operation Procedures" were formulated, establishing a complete set of standardized cultivation practices including "selecting quality seeds, preparing fine soil, sowing at the right time, thinning seedlings, applying fertilizer rationally, watering scientifically, and preventing diseases and pests." The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is limited, with more emphasis on farmyard manure, the application of water-saving irrigation technology, and the promotion of standardized production. This approach has increased yield and improved quality, fully meeting the requirements for green food.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic indication area for Tailai Mung Beans includes ten townships and one farm: Keli Town, Pingyang Town, Jiangqiao Town, Daxing Town, Tangchi Town, Heping Town, Tazicheng Town, Ningjiang Township, Shengli Township, Tailai Town, and Erlongtao Farm. The geographic coordinates are between 122°59′–124° east longitude and 46°13′–47°10′ north latitude. The protected area spans 399,600 hectares, with a production area of 10,000 hectares and an annual output of 10,500 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. Morphological Features: Tailai Mung Beans are generally long-oval in shape, with 100-bean weight ranging from 3.5 to 5 grams. They are notable for being plump, bright, and vividly green. 2. Intrinsic Quality: Testing shows that Tailai Mung Beans contain the following nutritional components: crude protein ≥23g/100g, crude fat ≤0.8g/100g, crude fiber ≥3.5%, crude starch ≥40g/100g, calcium ≥980mg/kg, iron ≥60mg/kg. 3. Safety Requirements: They comply with the safety standards of "Pollution-Free Food - Grain Legumes" (NY5202-2005).