Poinsettia

Poinsettia

　　Qujiang District is known as the "hometown of pomelo in China." The district has 26 towns, 509 administrative villages, and a total population of 400,000, among which 120,000 farming households grow pomelos. The pomelo cultivation area spans 200,000 mu (approximately 13,333 hectares), with an annual output of 300,000 tons. Both the area and yield rank first among all county-level regions in China.

　　Citrus cultivation in Qujiang District has a history of over 1,400 years, with pomelos being especially renowned. The Ming Dynasty scholar He Xiuyuan wrote in *The Min Book*: “Of all the citrus in the world today, those from Quzhou in Zhejiang and Zhangzhou in Fujian are the best.” Since the Ming Dynasty, Quzhou pomelos have been tribute fruits for the imperial court. In modern times, they were praised as the “King of Asian Thin-Skinned Citrus” by Japanese agronomist Chōichirō Tanaka, earning fame both at home and abroad.

　　“Poinsettia” pomelos are the premium variety of pomelos. In recent years, Qujiang District has accelerated the transformation of citrus production methods and increased investment in technology. Through the efforts of numerous researchers, a complete set of high-quality pomelo cultivation techniques has been developed, along with the establishment of the “Poinsettia” Pomelo Series Standards, which meet advanced domestic standards and have been reviewed and approved by the provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision. “Poinsettia” pomelos are produced according to these series standards, with strict requirements on seedlings, orchard development, cultivation management, pest control, and fruit quality. The “Poinsettia” pomelo fruit has a diameter greater than 60 mm, an upright shape, a bright orange color, a smooth surface, a rich flavor, and balanced sweetness and acidity. Its flesh is crisp and tender, refreshing and fragrant, easy to separate from the peel, and has a high edible rate. It contains 16 amino acids essential to the human body and various trace elements, offering benefits such as soothing the spleen, nourishing the lungs, relieving coughs, aiding digestion, and comforting the stomach. It also has good storage properties.

　　The “Poinsettia” pomelo trademark was registered with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce in 1996. To comprehensively improve pomelo quality, starting in 1996, Qujiang District organized a “Poinsettia” Pomelo Quality Competition across the region. Each year, after preliminary evaluations at the township level and joint evaluations at the county level, first, second, and third prizes are awarded, with cash rewards ranging from 10,000 to 1,000 yuan from the district government. Currently, the number of participating farmers has grown from the initial one thousand to over ten thousand, and the competition area continues to expand. This has effectively promoted the application and popularization of the “Poinsettia” Pomelo Series Standards, especially the “Three Thinnings and One Improvement” technique, elevating the quality of “Poinsettia” pomelos to a higher level. It has also helped pomelo farmers develop a stronger awareness of quality and excellence. In 1997, at the Third National Agricultural Expo, “Poinsettia” pomelos were named an agricultural brand-name product; they won first prize in the provincial high-quality citrus competition and were recommended as one of Zhejiang Province’s 1997 Top Shopping Brand Choices. In 1998, at the Dongguan National Fruit Exhibition, “Poinsettia” pomelos were awarded the title of “China Famous Fruit” by the China Fruit Marketing Association; they were also recognized as a Zhejiang Agricultural Brand in the provincial agricultural product competition. The “Poinsettia” Pomelo Production Base was further endorsed by the Chinese Society of Agricultural Sciences as a national base for high-yield, high-quality, and efficient agricultural products.

　　Currently, Qujiang District has established a 100,000-mu “Poinsettia” Pomelo Base. Within the base, the full range of “Poinsettia” Pomelo Series Standard Techniques is implemented, achieving a yield of up to 2,500 kg per mu, with over 65% of the fruit graded as first-class or higher.

　　“Poinsettia” pomelos are distributed by Qujiang District’s Poinsettia Company. The District Poinsettia Pomelo Production and Sales Management Committee specifically coordinates and manages the “Poinsettia” trademark and oversees the quality of pomelos bearing the label. At present, “Poinsettia” pomelos have been widely sold across major cities in China and have begun to enter international markets. The “Poinsettia” pomelo is stepping into broader market horizons with the quality and prestige of a premium product.

　　(Quzhou)