The China-EU Agreement on Geographical Indications officially entered into force on March 1, 2021. It is China's first bilateral comprehensive and high-level agreement on the protection of geographical indications (GIs), and an important and practical outcome in the development of China-EU economic and trade relations in recent years.
We will continue to introduce to you the first batch of 100 Chinese GIs and 100 European GIs under the Agreement, to better protect and market them to meet the needs of consumers on both sides for a better life.
GI Episode 45: Anqiu Ginger
Anqiu ginger is a local specialty of Anqiu City, Weifang, Shandong Province.
The history of ginger cultivation in Anqiu dates back to the era of Emperor Wanli (1573–1620) of the Ming Dynasty. After nearly 500 years of cultivation, Anqiu ginger has become famous for its high nutritional and medicinal value. It has a bright yellow color, a spicy taste and a strong aroma. Most Anqiu ginger has a compact structure and is large in size. Ginger can get your blood flowing, help to warm your extremities, keep away the chills, reduce inflammation, and soothe a sore throat. It is also a great expectorant.
Anqiu City has a monsoon influenced warm, humid subtropical climate, typified by four distinct seasons. It is featured with unpolluted rivers, fertile alluvial plains, sufficient sunlight, and pleasant temperature, with hot and rainy days occurring in the same period, making it an ideal place for ginger cultivation. Such climate and natural conditions are why Anqiu ginger enjoys an international fame.
As the largest ginger producing city in the country, Anqiu was named the “Ginger and Garlic Capital in China” in 1995. The ginger growing area in the city reaches 200,000 mu (approximately 133 square kilometers), producing 1 million tons of ginger annually, accounting for about one twenty-fifth and one sixteenth of the country’s total ginger growing area and annual ginger production, respectively. Anqiu City encourages cooperation between leading enterprises and farmers’ cooperatives with production centers as the platform and promotes standardization in the ginger industry. It has adopted a five-pronged management model that complies with international standards and covers the whole process from sowing to fertilization, pest control, and storage. Major ginger products produced in Anqiu City include dehydrated ginger slices, softened ginger buds, fresh/pickled ginger cubes, ginger essence, ginger juice, and ginger sugar. Each year, Anqiu City exports more than 200,000 tons of ginger products to more than 50 countries and regions, including Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
In recent years, Anqiu City is dedicated to exploring new models and strategies to promote rural revitalization. It has built a large-scale agricultural product trading center with Anqiu ginger as one of its main products. It has also constructed the Ginger Industry Park and the Ginger Culture Museum and held Ginger Culture Festival and Ginger Grower Competition to increase the brand visibility of Anqiu ginger in the global market. Protected under the China-EU Agreement on Geographical Indications, Anqiu ginger is expected to play a bigger role in bolstering rural industries and boosting farmers’ income.