Shaodian Chestnuts

Shaodian Chestnuts

Shaodian Chestnuts are a product with geographical indication status.

　　Shaodian Town is one of the key chestnut-producing areas in China, with a production history spanning hundreds of years. In the past, due to a single variety, backward production techniques, and poor management, annual chestnut output hovered around 500,000 kilograms. In recent years, departments such as the Quality Supervision Bureau, Science and Technology Bureau, Forestry and Animal Husbandry Bureau, and Agricultural Resources Development Bureau have jointly supported the development of the town’s chestnut industry. By investing in comprehensive agricultural development funds, they have focused on improving basic agricultural production conditions in project areas; introduced and cultivated multiple high-quality chestnut varieties such as Jiaozha, Qingzha, Chushuhong, and Shiyuehong; and promoted advanced cultivation techniques including dwarf grafting of chestnuts, dense planting, and top-grafting of old inferior chestnut trees. On this basis, the implementation of standardized chestnut production has yielded significant results.

　　Chestnuts are a specialty product of Shuhe Village in Shaodian Town, Xinyi City, which is one of the key chestnut-producing areas in China, with a history of several hundred years. Shaodian Town is known as "China's No. 1 Chestnut Town." A number of high-quality chestnut varieties, including Jiaozha, Qingzha, Chushuhong, and Shiyuehong, have been actively introduced. Chestnut experts were organized to develop and refine four chestnut production standards—Standards for Pollution-Free Premium Chestnut Demonstration Orchards, Key Production Techniques for High-Quality Chestnuts, Pollution-Free Pest and Disease Control Calendar for Chestnuts, and Standardized Production Management Technical Operating Procedures for Chestnuts—based on international and domestic industry best practices combined with local conditions. In line with the principles of exemplary demonstration and scaled development, municipal, town, and village-level demonstration orchards have been established; technical personnel have been deployed to provide face-to-face training in the fields; random inspections of chestnuts produced in various project areas have been carried out; and a comprehensive monitoring system has been fully implemented, thereby promoting the continuous advancement of standardized chestnut production in the project areas. Currently, the "Shuhe" brand chestnuts produced in the city have been recognized as provincial pollution-free agricultural products, and Shaodian Town has been praised by experts from the Chinese Academy of Forestry as "China's No. 1 Plain Chestnut Town."

Shaodian Chestnuts are divided into two main types: oil chestnuts and hairy chestnuts. Among them, Shaodian large oil chestnuts are considered the best, featuring large kernels (about 40 per half-kilogram), glossy and shiny appearance, tender and loose flesh, sweet and fragrant taste, and high stickiness. In recent years, through two rounds of selective breeding, superior individual varieties such as Xinyi Jiuzhong, Chuchuhong, and Panlong Chestnuts have been developed. These have been verified at the provincial level as suitable for regional development and have since been promoted both within and outside the province. At the 1983 National Export Commodities Production Base Construction Achievements Exhibition, Shaodian Chestnuts were exhibited and received an honorary certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. For over a decade, the export volume of Shaodian Chestnuts has continued to expand, selling well in countries and regions such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Japanese buyers specifically request Shaodian large oil chestnuts, and Shaodian Chestnuts have gained a high reputation and widespread fame in the international market.

　　Shaodian Chestnuts

　　Geographic Scope

　　The registered protected planting area for Shaodian Chestnuts is located in 14 villages of Shaodian Town, Xinyi City, including Shaoxi Village, Yibei Village, Shaodian Village, Caiyuan Village, Yehai Village, Chenyan Village, Xibao Village, Youyi Village, Zhuwu Village, Lianhe Village, Yueji Village, Dongbao Village, Shuhe Village, and Liuchong Village, covering a total planting area of 767 hectares. The planting region spans between 118°24.837′ and 118°29.038′ east longitude, and 34°07.598′ and 34°09.611′ north latitude.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The chestnut shells are purplish-brown with yellowish-brown fuzz or nearly smooth surface. The nuts are delicate and beautiful, with tender, yellowish, fine-textured flesh that is glossy and shiny. When eaten raw, they are crisp with a sweet taste and osmanthus fragrance, dense in texture, and highly glutinous. The kernels are large (average 12.3 grams, up to 18 grams), with thin shells that are easy to peel, offering the unique flavor of the variety without any off-odors. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Shaodian Chestnuts are characterized by tender flesh, sweet taste, and high glutinousness, and are rich in protein, sugar, starch, amino acids, carotene, vitamins, as well as various minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Testing shows that every 100 grams of Shaodian Chestnut kernels contain 5.4–5.8 grams of protein and 23.8–25.6 grams of starch. All indicators are higher than those of ordinary chestnuts. 3. Safety Requirements: The quality of Shaodian Chestnuts meets the industry standard of the Ministry of Agriculture, DB32/T 546-2002 Pollution-Free Agricultural Products – Chestnuts. The production environment complies with the requirements of GB/T 18407.2-2001 Agricultural Product Quality and Safety – Environmental Requirements for Pollution-Free Fruit Production Areas. Agricultural inputs are used rationally, and the use of highly toxic pesticides is strictly prohibited.