Where are chestnuts produced, and when do they ripen and hit the market?

Chestnut is one of the nuts commonly eaten in China, with a long history of cultivation and rich nutrition. It tastes sweet, fragrant and crisp, and is deeply loved by consumers. Due to differences in climate, soil and other conditions from place to place, the habitats vary, resulting in differences in tree height, the hairs on the underside of the leaves and on the burrs, the ripening period of the fruit, and especially the size and quality of the fruit. So where are chestnuts produced? When do they generally ripen and hit the market?

1. Where are chestnuts produced?

China's famous chestnut production areas include Xingtai, Qinglong, Kuancheng, Dandong, Zhen'an, Luotian, Qianxi, Tancheng, Xinyang, Shaodian, Xinglong, Tongbai, Balong and others. Below are introductions to a few relatively well-known chestnut varieties.

1. Dandong chestnut

Produced in Dandong City, Liaoning Province. Cultivation of Dandong chestnut began in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The fruit is called lizi (chestnut); it can be eaten raw, sugar-roasted, or baked, and can also be made into canned goods, ground into flour for cakes, or used in soups and cooked dishes. It contains sugar, protein, fat and a variety of vitamins, and has very high nutritional and economic value. In December 2006, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine approved geographical indication product protection for Dandong chestnut.

2. Tancheng chestnut

It is divided into two major types: oil chestnut and hairy chestnut. Among them, Tancheng large oil chestnut has the characteristics of large kernels (about 40 kernels per jin), glossy and shiny color, loose flesh, sweet taste, and strong glutinous quality. After two rounds of seed selection, superior single-plant varieties such as Tancheng 207, Tancheng 023 and Panlong chestnut were successively bred, and were confirmed through provincial acceptance as regional development varieties and have been promoted within and outside the province. In 1983, at the National Exhibition of Achievements in the Construction of Export Commodity Production Bases, Tancheng chestnut was exhibited and received an honorary certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. Since the 1990s, the export volume of Tancheng chestnut has continued to expand, selling well in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and other countries and regions. Japanese buyers specifically asked for Tancheng large oil chestnut, and Tancheng chestnut has gained a very high reputation in the international market and is famous far and wide.

3. Qinglong chestnut

The unique geographical and climatic conditions of Qinglong, Hebei, make Qinglong chestnut large in size, thin in skin, bright in color, fine in flesh, and uniquely fragrant and sweet in flavor, with nutritional content ranking first among chestnuts nationwide, and it has long enjoyed the reputation of the king of dried fruits. It is the leading product of “JD chestnut”, highly favored by the vast number of consumers at home and abroad, and is registered under the separate trademark “Qinglong Ganli” in Japan. Qinglong “JD chestnut” was granted geographical indication product protection in 2006, and in 2007 won the honorary title of famous brand product of Hebei Province. Qinglong chestnut has a long history of cultivation, and in recent years it has developed into a leading agricultural industry and sells very well in domestic and international markets.

2. When do chestnuts generally ripen and hit the market?

Chestnuts ripen between September and October. In autumn, when chestnuts are sold in large quantities in the market, people naturally wonder when chestnuts ripen. Their flowering period is generally from April to June, and the fruiting period is from August to October. The fruit ripens from September to October, which is also when it hits the market. After chestnuts ripen, most of the mature chestnuts fall naturally, while some must be knocked down with a bamboo pole. Generally, the chestnuts that fall naturally are the best ripened ones, and also the chestnuts with the best taste and variety quality.