From sugar oranges to cranberries,
From foie gras to caviar…
Recently, many northern and southern provinces and cities in China have
Welcoming visitors and giving each other specialties,
While enhancing mutual friendship,
A good show of "finding out the national specialties"
It also opened the eyes of many netizens.
In this "finding out",
Let Yunnan netizens collectively "break the defense",
Not only are there matsutake biscuits as a gift in return from Harbin,
There are also "must-have items for the New Year" and "King of Nuts"
——Macadamia nuts (Macadamia nuts).
Pictured are macadamia nuts. Photo courtesy of Lincang Municipal People’s Government Information Office
What?
The world’s largest macadamia nut producing area is in Yunnan!
The grains are round and smooth, the nuts are plump, and they have a nice buttery aroma. Take a bite and you will find it is crunchy, delicate, smooth and delicious... This is the flavor of a high-quality macadamia nut, and it is also the reason why it is loved by countless "foodies". Macadamia nuts, also known as macadamia nuts, are native to Australia. I believe everyone is familiar with it. It was once considered a high-end and expensive snack by Chinese consumers. In recent years, it has gradually entered Chinese families at a "people-friendly" price, bringing people enjoyment to their taste buds. But did you know that the largest macadamia nut producing area in the world is in Yunnan!
The picture shows the macadamia nut forest in Gengma County, Lincang City. Photo by Yuan Hongkai
Lincang City is located on the bank of the Lancang River in southwest Yunnan Province, with the Tropic of Cancer passing through it. It has a tropical mountain monsoon climate with abundant sunshine, a large temperature difference between day and night, and distinct dry and wet seasons. It is one of the most suitable areas in the world for the growth of macadamia nuts. In 1991, 404 macadamia seedlings divided into five varieties were trial planted in Yongde County, Lincang. At that time, China was implementing a project to convert farmland into forests. Lincang chose large economic trees, mainly macadamia nuts and walnuts, to gradually replace crops such as corn and sugar cane on the steep slopes of mountainous areas, hoping to restore green mountains and green waters and reduce the poverty population. Around 2000, Yongde County successfully experimented with growing macadamia nuts. One kilogram of nuts picked from the tree sold for as much as 40 yuan. Lincang began to vigorously promote nut cultivation.
Pictured is the macadamia nut harvest. Photo courtesy of Lincang Municipal People’s Government Information Office
In the "first decade" from 1991 to 2001, Lincang's macadamia planting area was only 23,500 acres; by 2017, this number had been refreshed to 2.2789 million acres. Today, Lincang's nut planting area reaches 2.6277 million acres, accounting for 40% of the global planting area, and has become the world's largest macadamia nut planting base. In 2023, Lincang's output of dried nuts and shells reached 96,500 tons, with a comprehensive output value of 5.939 billion yuan.
small nut seeds
grow into a tree of wealth
Tian Xiaoying, a villager who lives in Junlao Village, Chonggang Township, Yongde County, Lincang, and his family planted 1,000 macadamia trees, and these nut trees have become an important source of income for their family. Tian Xiaoying said, "Seeing that macadamia nuts could sell for several times the price of ordinary agricultural products, my parents remembered the land in Dahongshan and started to plant nuts in the mountain."
The picture shows a macadamia nut tree bearing fruit. Photo courtesy of Lincang Municipal People’s Government Information Office
In Kang County, Lincang Town, the macadamia trees are tall and have broad leaves, and the branches are bent by the gradually ripening fruits. A local farmer told reporters that his family planted 40 acres of macadamia trees, which can bring in nearly 200,000 yuan in income every year.
In order to encourage more people to get rich through macadamia nuts, the local government has explored a model of "company + base + cooperative + farmer" with leading and large growers as the guide, to cultivate large growers and drive surrounding people to develop industrial bases.
The picture shows the production line of a local nut company. Photo courtesy of Lincang Municipal People’s Government Information Office
Information provided by Lincang Forestry and Grassland Bureau shows that as of now, Lincang City’s macadamia planting covers 739 administrative villages (communities) in 74 towns and 8 counties (districts) in the city, involving 216,400 planting farmers and 744,500 farmers. In 2023, the per capita income of growers will be 3,346 yuan. The little nut has become a veritable big industry for getting rich.
From "foreign products" to "local specialties"
Lincang Nuts debuted in C position
In the process of turning "foreign products" into "local specialties", Lincang City spared no effort to provide adequate care and love to macadamia nuts. In terms of policy, Lincang City has always planned and deployed macadamia nuts as an important livelihood project to promote Lincang's economic development, and has successively issued the "Implementation Plan for the Three-Year Action Plan for the High-Quality Development of Lincang Nut Industry in Lincang City (2023-2025)" "Lincang Nut Quality Improvement and Efficiency Sustainable Development Expert Team Construction and Technology Demonstration and Promotion Action Plan (2023-2025)" "Lincang Nut Industry Development Alliance Construction Plan" and other scientific layouts for the development of the nut industry have formed a joint effort to tackle difficulties , industrial co-construction and ecological sharing pattern.
Pictured are macadamia nuts. Photo courtesy of Lincang Municipal People’s Government Information Office
In terms of industrial development, the local "International Macadamia Nut R&D Center" has been established to build a global macadamia nut technology support system, implement 5 scientific research projects, and lead the development of the global nut industry. The only and world-class national key laboratory for nut testing has been built in the country, and strategic cooperation agreements have been signed with many universities to establish a long-term and stable cooperation mechanism for the development of the nut industry, and actively carry out Lincang nut quality and efficiency improvement and sustainable development experts Team building and technology demonstration and promotion actions. The Lincang Nut Industry High-quality Development Action was implemented, and a county (district) science and technology service team of 101 people was established to conduct unified training, dispatching, and management, fully undertake technical guidance from academicians and experts, and carry out demonstration and promotion work.
At the same time, through variety selection, domestication and expansion, a high-quality product suitable for local planting - "Lincang Nuts" has been developed locally. Due to Lincang's unique "light, heat, water, soil, wind" and other natural conditions and good ecological environment, "Lincang Nuts" are of superior quality and are significantly different from nuts in the place of origin and other regions. They have thin skin and It is bright, the kernels are white and plump, the taste is crispy, and it has a mellow creamy fragrance and other characteristics, which are deeply loved by consumers.
Pictured are macadamia nuts. Photo courtesy of Lincang Municipal People’s Government Information Office
"Lincang Nuts", which has been recognized by consumers, has also received national certification. In 2018, the country officially approved the registration and protection of geographical indications of agricultural products for "Lincang Nuts", and macadamia nuts were also named Lincang. In 2020, "Lincang Nuts" was recognized by nine ministries and commissions including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs as a superior area for agricultural products with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, "Lincang Nuts" won the title of "Top 100 Most Popular Fruit Regional Public Brands in 2020".
"Electric shock" upgrade
The nut industry is well developed
In recent years, riding on the "dongfeng" of e-commerce and live broadcasting, macadamia nuts produced in Lincang have been able to be delivered to consumers "next day" and are selling well across the country.
"In 2022, our company opened online sales channels. Now consumers across the country can conveniently purchase nuts through their mobile phones, and our processing production line has also been boldly opened." Gu Chaowei, the head of a local nut company, said that in 2022 alone, The company processes nearly 3,000 tons of macadamia nuts, directly engaging more than 60 local people in nut processing, sorting and packaging occupations. According to statistics, through live streaming, Lincang has successfully introduced 5 foreign investors and negotiated intentional cooperation with 16 companies, with actual investment amounting to 180 million yuan.
The picture shows a local nut company. Photo courtesy of Lincang Municipal People’s Government Information Office
The continuous development and improvement of the industry has also attracted many young people to return home to pursue their dreams. As a "post-95" young man who once wanted to get out of the mountains, Zhang Qiang chose to return to his hometown of Gengma County to engage in quality inspection work after graduating from college in 2020. "My family has planted more than 50 acres of macadamia nuts, but my parents don't know much about nut planting techniques. When I graduated and returned to my hometown, I also wanted to use my major to help increase the output and quality of the nut planting industry in my hometown."
There is a saying circulating in Lincang,
The nut is "persistence will lead to results".
The industry develops and expands, farmers increase their income and become rich,
There is light in the eyes of the young people who returned home...
The little macadamia nuts that came across the ocean,
From "foreign seeds" to "local specialties",
In Lincang, a road to fruition has been blazed.
The next step will be to take
The method of "researching, testing, demonstrating and promoting",
Summarize the staged technical achievements,
Carry out technical personnel training,
Carry out technical demonstration and promotion,
Good service expert team,
Promote the development of the nut industry to improve quality and efficiency.
future,
What other miracles can "Lincang Nuts" create?
We'll see!
(Author of China News Service WeChat official account: Wang Jingya and Wang Yan)