Fengxian Asparagus

Fengxian Asparagus

　　Fengxian asparagus is a specialty of Fengxian County, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province. The tender shoots are fine in texture and tender in flesh, with strong palatability. The white asparagus is straight, smooth, and snow-white, while the green asparagus is uniform and vividly green. It is highly nutritious, with nutritional content significantly higher than that of ordinary vegetables, and has medicinal value in helping to prevent cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and other illnesses. It is ranked among the world's top ten famous vegetables.

　　The cultivation of asparagus in Fengxian started in 1987 and has a history of 20 years. It is an old asparagus-producing area in Jiangsu Province and also a major production region. The cultivation has shifted from the older UC800 and UC157 varieties to high-quality, high-yield, and commercially superior varieties: Atlas, Grande, and Apollo. Currently, the planting area spans 50,000 mu, predominantly green (blue-green) asparagus, covering around 40,000 mu. Products come in five specifications: S, M, L, 2L, and 3L. The product season runs from early April to mid-August each year. Fengxian-produced asparagus shoots are delicate in texture, crisp, juicy, and rich in nutrients. Quick-frozen green (blue-green) asparagus and canned white asparagus are popular in the Western European market, while fresh green (blue-green) asparagus is exported in large quantities to Japan and other Southeast Asian countries.