Fanglin Water Chestnuts

Fanglin Water Chestnuts

Fanglin water chestnuts are a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Fanglin water chestnuts are a traditional branded product of Hezhou and one of its major industries. They are commonly known as Fanglin water chestnuts because they were originally cultivated in Fanglin Village, Shatian Town, Pinggui Management District, Hezhou City, and were highly favored and recognized by consumers at the time. The village has had a tradition of growing water chestnuts since the Qing Dynasty. Over the years, successive governments in Hezhou have placed great emphasis on the development and expansion of this traditional branded product. Development Potential and Brand Enhancement Directions: After years of development, Fanglin water chestnuts now cover a planting area of 4,878 hectares in Hezhou, with an annual production of 160,593 tons. The highest planting area reached 5,347 hectares in certain years, yielding 181,883 tons. Within the jurisdiction of Hezhou City, there are five food processing enterprises that primarily use water chestnuts as their main ingredient, with an annual processing capacity of 70,000 tons. Among them, one enterprise has been recognized as a national leading enterprise, and another as a key agricultural industrialization leading enterprise in Guangxi. Products such as canned water chestnuts produced by companies like Jiabao, Hexing, and Dacheng are exported to Europe, America, and Southeast Asian countries, earning high praise from consumers worldwide and holding an important position in the international market.

　　Water chestnuts (eleocharis dulcis) are a major agricultural product in Pinggui District, Hezhou City, mainly produced in towns such as Shatian, Etang, Liantang, and Hejie. In 2003, the district’s total water chestnut planting area was 58,900 mu, with a total output of 104,700 tons. Babu water chestnuts are a health food suitable for both fruit and vegetable consumption. They can be eaten fresh or processed into canned water chestnuts, water chestnut powder, water chestnut cake, and other related products. They are known for their heat-clearing, detoxifying, blood-cooling, and blood pressure-lowering properties. “Fanglin water chestnuts” are a premium specialty of Babu. Their corms are flat and round, with smooth surfaces. When mature, they appear deep chestnut or date red in color. The fruits are large, with individual fruits weighing up to 55.6 grams. The skin is thin and tender, while the flesh is white, crisp, sweet, juicy, starch-rich, and has a unique flavor that melts in the mouth. The yield per mu is around 2,000–3,000 kilograms. Babu District plants over 60,000 mu of water chestnuts annually, with the harvest starting in late November, producing over 100,000 tons of fresh water chestnuts per year. The products are popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hainan, Fujian, and Southeast Asia. Since 1996, Babu District has promoted the development of the water chestnut industry by exporting processed water chestnuts through foreign-funded enterprises. Currently, companies such as Dacheng Food Co., Ltd. (Taiwan-funded), Fuxiang Food Co., Ltd. (US-funded), Jiabao Food Co., Ltd. (Fujian-funded), and Etang Canning Factory are engaged in the processing and production of water chestnuts. The processed “canned clear water chestnuts” are exported to markets in Europe, America, Japan, and enjoy consistently strong demand. This year, DingSheng Institutional Food Company (US-funded) has started selling clean fresh water chestnuts to the US market, forming an industrialized pattern of “company + base + farmer.”

　　Geographic Scope

　　The geographic indication area for Fanglin water chestnuts includes: Huangtian Town, Shatian Town, Yangtou Town, Etang Town, Gonghui Town, Wanggao Town, Xiwan Subdistrict, Shuikou Town, and Daping Township within Pinggui Management District. The geographical coordinates are between 111°05′ and 112°03′ east longitude, and 23°39′ and 25°09′ north latitude. The protected area spans 4,878 hectares, with an annual production of 160,953 tons.