PR88856

MEISHAN, China, Apr. 6, 2021 /Xinhua=KYODO JBN/--

The 2021 Annual Conference of Chinese Society of Citriculture, 2021 Sichuan

Flower (Fruit) Eco-tourism Festival & 4th Late-maturing Citrus Festival in

Meishan, held by Sichuan Provincial Forestry and Grassland Administration and

Meishan Municipal People's Government, will take place in the city of Meishan

between April 11th and 13th.

This edition of the gala will adopt the "online+offline" format and

incorporates industrial symposium, professional procurement, media openness and

public participation. The event was participated by more than a thousand

attendees including experts and scholars from the Citrus Society of China such

as Chinese Modern Citrus Industry Technology System Chief Scientist academician

Deng Xiuxin, Citrus Society of China Honorary President professor Zhou

Changyong, delegates from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of

China, Sichuan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan

Provincial Bureau Forestry and Grassland and the Chinese Academy of

Agricultural Sciences, and government officials, scientific research institute

teams and distributor representatives from 18 provinces and municipalities.

The event wil take place with the central theme of "Meishan Chunju - Taste of

Spring - Fruits of Great Health" and feature the "Meishan Chunju" as its

centerpiece. The northern hemisphere lacks fresh fruits during early spring,

but the "Meishan Chunju" is able to conquer countless Chinese and overseas

foodies thanks to its unique combination of sweetness-acidity balance,

juiciness, crunchy yet soft texture with little fiber, distinct flavor profile

and wealth of nutrients.

Meishan, a city situated in the west of China, has long been known as the

"China's home of longevity" and birthplace of esteemed ancient scholar Su

Dongpo. With a time-honored history of citrus cultivation, Meishan has

accumulated extensive citrus cultivation traditions and sophisticated

techniques, and local citrus were already renowned as imperial tributes as far

back as Tang dynasty some 1,200 years ago. Located around the 30th parallel

north, Meishan's mild climate has neither severe winters nor harsh summers, and

very few frost or snow, which are conditions ideal for fruits to survive

winter. The unique purple soil here is well-endowed in nutrients and elements

like calcium, phosphorous and potassium that are particularly conducive to the

growth of citrus. In recent years, Meishan has actively pursued cooperation

with scientific research institutions to speed up the conversion of scientific

and technical research outcomes in areas such as new species and new

technologies, resulting in prominent competitive advantages enjoyed by "Meishan

Chunju" and quickly building a reputation as "China's home of late-maturing

citrus".

"Meishan Chunju" is a regional public brand for the Meishan citrus industry and

is represented by the high-quality, late-maturing citrus grown locally in

Meishan and comprised of eight pillar varieties, namely Buzhihuo, Chunjian,

Qingjian, Aiyuan No.38, Dayagan, Wogan, Makedou and Penggan. At the same time,

it is a geographical indication and Danling Jucheng, Qingshen Penggan and

Pengzu Shougan have obtained national protection of geographical indication

status and agro-product geographical indication status, as introduced by Li

Yong'an, a researcher at the Meishan Dongpo District Citrus Industry Promotion

Service Center.

"Meishan Chunju" ripens in spring and embodies the delights of the season. With

carpel membrane as thin and light as the wings on a moth, and soft and

succulent sacs filled with juice, peel apart a Meishan Chunju and revel in the

spray of fragrant mist, then take a bite and relish in the juice that flows

across the palate like a crystal spring. Use the tongue to lightly squeeze on a

juice follicle and let it explode in a conglomeration of tantalizing sweetness,

with a gastronome going so far as to claim that Meishan Chunju is the

"explosive caviar in the world of fruits".

A healthy produce, the "Meishan Chunju" has been honored as a "Leading Food

Safety Brand of China". Safety and quality are guaranteed by upholding

ecological and healthy principles, sticking to an ecological cultivation model

that features aspects such as orchard row-middle Sod maintenance,

environment-friendly protection and control and irrigation-fertilization

integration, and adhering to citrus production technical specifications and

"Meishan Chunju" collective product standards. Highly nutritious with a rich

content of vitamin C, citric acid and other healthy substances, Meishan Chunju

is beloved for its thirst-quenching, appetizing, tonic and beautifying

qualities, dubbed the "gastronomic miracle of the 30th parallel north" and the

"soft gold" among fruits.

"Meishan Chunju" is a symbol of prosperity among common folks. At present, the

whole city of Meishan has around 1.05 million mu in citrus plantations,

including 880,000 mu for late-maturing citrus. The city's citrus industry is

valued at RMB11.5 billion, employs 1.03 million persons and records more than

RMB10,000 in income increase per capita, genuinely making it a top industry for

promoting income growth in farmers.

Today, not only has the Meishan Chunju build up a stellar reputation across the

nation, but can also be found in markets as far as Southeast Asia, Eastern

Europe and North America. These late-ripening fruits are aptly delivering the

best tastes of spring to all corners of the world.

Source: Meishan Municipal People's Government