Wenzhou Bayberries

Wenzhou Bayberries

　　Wenzhou’s climate and the soil in many areas are well suited for growing bayberries. Bayberries are one of Wenzhou’s specialties. The main production areas include the suburbs, Ouhai District, Yongjia County, Yueqing City, and Pingyang County. The “Ding’ao bayberry” is considered the best. It comes from Ding’ao Village in Chashan Township, Ouhai County. When ripe, Ding’ao bayberries look like crimson crystal balls, with their bright green stems slightly protruding. They are large with small pits, sweet and moderately tart, juicy and rich in flavor, and have been famous since ancient times. Bayberries are not only sweet and tangy, quenching thirst and stimulating saliva production, but they are also very nutritious. They can be eaten fresh or soaked in white liquor as a great summer treat. The juice can also be made into beverages or processed into dried bayberries, preserves, or canned products. (Wenzhou)

　　　The bayberry cultivation history in Ouhai District dates back over 500 years. With 28,000 mu of current bayberry cultivation area, the region is widely renowned for its long history and superior quality. In June 2003, it was named the “Hometown of Chinese Bayberries.” According to the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu-era “Yongjia County Annals,” it is recorded: “Bayberries, previously noted as a local product, are now especially excellent when produced in Chashan.” The bayberries of Ouhai belong to the Ding’ao variety, which surpasses other types due to their large size, small pits, vibrant color, and excellent quality. They are named “Ding’ao bayberries” because they originated in Ding’ao Village, Chashan Town. The district has 28,000 mu of Ding’ao bayberry plantations, with an annual output of 6,000 tons and a production value exceeding 100 million yuan. Among these, the 10,000-mu contiguous Ding’ao bayberry production base is surrounded by forests, enjoys a warm and moist climate, and features fertile soil. The fresh Ding’ao bayberries from Ouhai are the finest for eating fresh and are reputed as the “red bowl with green stem.” Products are exported to more than 20 countries and regions. The Ding’ao bayberry base has also adopted a series of pollution-free cultivation and management practices, improving the quality, yield, market recognition, and commercialization rate of the berries. They hold an absolute market advantage in southern Zhejiang and have become the most distinctive locally characteristic agricultural product of Ouhai District.

　　 Ouhai Ding’ao bayberries have won several awards in recent years, including first place in the fresh fruit competition at the 5th National Bayberry Collaboration Seminar, gold and silver awards at the Zhejiang Provincial Agricultural Expo, and the gold award in the Wenzhou Bayberry Fresh Fruit Competition.