Hulan Leeks

Hulan Leeks

Hulan Leeks are a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Hulan District is located in the southern part of Heilongjiang Province, on the north bank of the Songhua River and the lower reaches of the Hulan River. It lies between 126°11′–127°19′ east longitude and 45°49′–46°25′ north latitude. The district borders the Songhua River to the south, and neighbors Zhaodong, Lanxi to the east, and Suihua City to the north, covering a total area of 2,197 square kilometers. The designated geographical protection area for Hulan Leeks includes all villages under nine townships and subdistricts within Hulan District: Kangjin Town, Xubao Township, Mengjia Township, Changling Town, Shuangjing Town, Yaopu Subdistrict, Shenjia Town, Fangtai Town, and Erba Town (totaling 9 townships, subdistricts, and 107 villages). The protected area spans 45,460 hectares, with a current production area of 1,400 hectares and an annual total output of 80,000 tons.

　　The production of Hulan Leeks has a history of over 50 years. Between 1996 and 2000, greenhouse vegetable farming emerged successively, along with a surge in specialty agriculture such as medicinal herbs. Xinxing Village and Zhenxing Village in Shuangjing Town are specialized leek-growing villages, where 90% of households are engaged in leek production. They cover more than 1.5 million square meters of greenhouses annually, generating an average income of 1,500 yuan per person from this crop alone.

　　Hulan Leeks

　　Geographical Scope

　　Hulan District is located in the southern part of Heilongjiang Province, on the north bank of the Songhua River and the lower reaches of the Hulan River. It lies between 126°11′–127°19′ east longitude and 45°49′–46°25′ north latitude. The district borders the Songhua River to the south, and neighbors Zhaodong, Lanxi to the east, and Suihua City to the north, covering a total area of 2,197 square kilometers. The designated geographical protection area for Hulan Leeks includes all villages under nine townships and subdistricts within Hulan District: Kangjin Town, Xubao Township, Mengjia Township, Changling Town, Shuangjing Town, Yaopu Subdistrict, Shenjia Town, Fangtai Town, and Erba Town (totaling 9 townships, subdistricts, and 107 villages). The protected area spans 45,460 hectares, with a current production area of 1,400 hectares and an annual total output of 80,000 tons.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic-Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: Hulan District is situated in the central part of the Songnen Plain, featuring flat terrain that is slightly higher in the northeast and slightly lower in the southwest. The “One River and Four Streams” have formed fertile alluvial and sedimentary plains in Hulan. The varied landforms have relative elevation differences of 20–30 meters, constituting undulating plains. There are no complex terrains such as mountains or hills, and the overall landform is relatively uniform. The lowest elevation is 113 meters, while the highest point, Tuanshanzi, is 189.5 meters, generally ranging between 115–150 meters, with the eastern part at around 170 meters. The Songhua River and Hulan River flow through the western, central, and southern parts of Hulan District. The district boasts vast land, fertile soil, and abundant resources, with eight types of soil including black soil, chernozem, and meadow soil. The soil fertility is high, with organic matter content around 3%, and available N, P, K contents of 100–140 mg/kg, 10–20 mg/kg, and 140–200 mg/kg respectively, suitable for the growth of both dryland and paddy crops.

　　(2) Hydrology: Hulan District has crisscrossing rivers, numerous lakes, ponds, and irrigation channels. Within the district are the “One River and Four Streams,” all part of the Songhua River system, which flow around or through the area, covering a total length of 226 kilometers within the district. The riverine water area spans 351,000 mu. The water quality meets the first-class standard of GB3838 for surface water environment and GB5749 for drinking water. There are currently four reservoir irrigation areas in Hulan District—Nihe, Yaopu, Shaoling, and Tuanshan—along with seven water-lifting projects, providing effective irrigation to 210,000 mu, with 13,000 mu under sprinkler irrigation, and a total storage capacity of 450 million cubic meters. The district has 92 kilometers of flood control embankments, with the Songhua River embankment meeting a 20-year flood prevention standard and the Hulan River embankment meeting a 30-year standard.

　　(3) Climate: Hulan is located in the mid-latitude zone and falls within the temperate continental monsoon climate region of the northern hemisphere. The climate features are distinct: spring is windy and rainy, warm and comfortable; summer is hot with abundant rainfall; autumn is cool, with clear and crisp skies; and winter is long, cold, and dry. The annual average temperature is 3.6°C. The highest average annual temperature is 23°C, and the lowest is -19.1°C. The average annual precipitation is 500–550 mm, but distribution varies significantly by season, with June to August being the main rainy period, accounting for 69% of the annual average precipitation. The annual average sunshine duration is 2,732.2 hours, with concentrated, intense, and lengthy sunlight from May to September, beneficial for crop growth. The frost-free period is short, with the first frost occurring on September 25 and the last on May 4, totaling about 143 days. The annual average wind speed is 3.5 m/s, with the prevailing wind direction being southwest in summer and northwest in winter. Although the region is at a high latitude with a cold climate, the summer temperatures are high, with rain and heat occurring in the same season, ample sunlight, large diurnal temperature variations, and relatively moist soil—all providing unique natural conditions for cultivation. In terms of meteorological infrastructure, the district has built 10 artillery stations and 11 anti-hail cannons along three hail-prone zones, along with one rain-enhancement rocket vehicle, protecting up to 1.5 million mu of farmland annually.

　　(4) Humanistic-Historical Factors: The production of Hulan Leeks has a history of over 50 years. Between 1996 and 2000, greenhouse vegetable farming emerged successively, along with a surge in specialty agriculture such as medicinal herbs. Xinxing Village and Zhenxing Village in Shuangjing Town are specialized leek-growing villages, where 90% of households are engaged in leek production. They cover more than 1.5 million square meters of greenhouses annually, generating an average income of 1,500 yuan per person from this crop alone.

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Site Selection: Hulan Leek production sites must be free from pollution sources, with the natural environment intact and sustainable production capacity—meaning the air, water (source and quality), and soil are fertile with good tillage properties. Black soil and chernozem plots are often chosen for cultivation.

　　(2) Variety Selection: Varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases, cold and heat, with strong tillering ability, and excellent external and internal quality are selected.

　　(3) Production Process Management:

　　a. Crop Rotation and Land Preparation

　　Crop Rotation: Select land where the previous crop was not an onion or leek variety. Land Preparation: Seedbeds should be on well-drained, high and dry land capable of irrigation and water release, preferably with a pH below 7.5. Before sowing, the land must be plowed, fertilized, finely harrowed after plowing, leveled, and made into beds.

　　b. Fertilization

　　Base Fertilizer: Primarily use high-quality organic fertilizer, common chemical fertilizers, and compound fertilizers. Under medium fertility conditions, apply 6,000 kg of organic fertilizer and 2 kg of nitrogen fertilizer per mu during land preparation. Apply two rounds of topdressing, using 3 kg of nitrogen fertilizer per mu with each watering.

　　c. Field Management

　　Weed Control: Primarily done manually, removing weeds 2–3 times promptly after seedlings emerge, or using herbicides such as quizalofop-p-ethyl or haloxyfop to control monocot weeds. Alternatively, apply 30% flazasulfuron emulsifiable concentrate (100–150 g) per 667 m² mixed with 50 kg of water and spray on the soil surface before seedling emergence. Pest and Disease Prevention: For leek gray mold, use 260–300 g of procymidone smoke agent per mu, distributed and burned in closed greenhouses overnight. For leek downy mildew, apply 1 kg of chlorothalonil dust per mu every 7 days. For leek fly larvae, drench roots with 600 mL of phoxim per mu.

　　(4) Product Harvest: Timing: Greenhouse leeks are harvested in three cuts—end of March, mid-April, and end of April. Harvest Quality: Cut at ground level.

　　(5) Production Records: Establish comprehensive field production technical records for the entire process of producing pollution-free leeks, documenting all details for future reference.

　　Product Typical Quality Characteristics and Quality Safety Standards

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Hulan leeks are classified into three grades: first-grade, second-grade, and third-grade. Each grade is further divided by plant length into long (over 30 cm), medium (20–30 cm), and short (under 20 cm). First-grade leeks have a uniformity rate of over 80%, second-grade over 70%, and third-grade over 60%. They appear fresh and tender, with no odor, no freezing damage, no pests or diseases, no mechanical injury, and no rot.

　　(2) Internal Quality Indicators: Hulan leeks are not only tender and aromatic but also rich in nutrients. Each 100 grams of fresh leeks contains 3.12 mg of beta-carotene, 0.09 mg of vitamin B2, 39 mg of vitamin C, 84 mg of calcium, 43 mg of phosphorus, 8.9 mg of iron, 1.2 g of dietary fiber, as well as

　　relatively high levels of fat, protein, and aromatic volatile compounds—such as allyl sulfide. In addition to their nutritional value, Hulan leeks also offer certain medicinal benefits. The sulfides in leeks help lower blood lipids, making them suitable for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as well as hypertension.

　　Relevant regulations on packaging labels and markings

　　(1) Labeling: The packaging shall indicate the product name, standard code of the product, trademark, name and full address of the producing unit, grade, specifications, net content, and packaging date. The text on the label shall be clear, complete, and accurate.

　　(2) Packaging: The packaging (boxes, baskets) for Chinese chives shall be uniform in size, sturdy, with smooth inner and outer surfaces. The gaps in wooden slatted boxes shall be appropriately sized and even. Packaging containers must remain dry, clean, and free from contamination. Plastic materials shall comply with the requirements of GB/T8868. Products of the same variety, grade, and specification shall be packaged separately. For each batch of Chinese chives submitted for inspection, the packaging specifications and net content per unit shall be consistent. Packaging inspection rules: Each sampled item shall be weighed individually, and the net content of each item shall be consistent and not less than the net content indicated on the package. Based on the calculated uniformity, the specifications of the sampled items shall be determined and checked against those indicated on the package.

　　(3) Transportation: After harvesting, Chinese chives shall be trimmed on-site and promptly packaged and transported. During transportation, handle with care to avoid mechanical damage. Transport vehicles shall be clean, hygienic, and free from contamination. During short-distance transport, protect against sun exposure and rain. For long-distance transport, take measures to prevent freezing, maintain appropriate temperature, or allow for ventilation and heat dissipation to ensure product quality is not compromised.

　　(4) Storage: Temporary storage shall be conducted under cool, ventilated, clean, and hygienic conditions, protected from sun exposure, rain, freezing, and contamination by toxic substances. Stacking shall be neat to prevent crushing or other damage. For short-term storage, items shall be stacked separately by variety, grade, and specification. Piles shall not be excessively large, and proper ventilation and heat dissipation shall be maintained, with suitable temperature and humidity controlled. The temperature of the vegetables inside the storage facility (cellar) shall be maintained at (0±0.5)°C, and the relative humidity of the air shall be kept between 85% and 90%.