Five Hunan Agricultural Products Listed as National Geographical Indication Products

　　On May 7, the Hunan Administration of Quality Technology Supervision announced five newly approved national geographical indication products for Hunan Province. They are: Xuefeng Mountain herba houttuyniae; Huitong amorphophallus konjac; Xinhuang Dong red rice; Longshan lilium; and Deshan Daqu liquor.

　　Four of the five products are from poorer counties and cities. They are local specialty representatives, and are also effective measures to promote local economic development and alleviate poverty.

　　Herba houttuyniae is originated in Xuefeng Mountain area. Currently the area has 10 specialized cooperatives and 106 large growers, with a cultivated area of 5,000 mu (about 333 ha.). The annual production of lilium bulbs is 15,000 tons, with an output value of 120 million CNY.

　　More than 50,000 mu (about 3,333 ha.) of amorphophallus konjac are planted in 18 towns and townships of Huitong County, with an annual output of 35,000 tons. It is processed into a series of products with an annual production value of 200 million CNY.

　　A total of 3,000 mu (200 ha.) of red rice are cultivated in Xinhuang County Dong Autonomous County, with an annual output of more than 500 tons.

　　Currently the average annual planting area of Longshan lilium is more than 80,000 mu (5,333 ha.). The annual output is more than 80,000 tons and the output value 800 million CNY. The planting of this agricultural product has benefited 45,000 people from 12,000 poverty-stricken households.

　　Deshan Daqu liquor is brewed in hundreds of ways. It is a pure and transparent liquid, with fragrant scent, soft and smooth taste, sweet and refreshing flavor.

　　Daqu are large (1–5 kg), cakes or bricks of dough that have been incubated for a long period, typically 3-4 or 6–8 weeks, and matured for an extended period of up to six months or more.

　　Background Information (Source: en.wikipedia.org)

　　Houttuynia cordata, also known as fish mint, fish leaf, rainbow plant, chameleon plant, heart leaf, fish wort, Chinese lizard tail, or bishop's weed, is a herbaceous perennial plant that is used in traditional Chinese medicine or as a fresh herbal garnish.

　　Amorphophallus konjac, also known as konjaku, konnyaku potato, devil's tongue, voodoo lily, snake palm, or elephant yam, used to create a flour and jelly of the same name.

　　Red riceis a variety of rice that is colored red by its anthocyanin content. It is usually eaten unhulled or partially hulled, and has a red husk, rather than the more common brown. Red rice has a nutty flavor. Compared to polished rice, it has the higher nutritional value of rices eaten with the germ intact.

　　Lilium bulbsare starchy and edible as root vegetables, although bulbs of some species may be very bitter. The non-bitter bulbs of Lilium lancifolium, Lilium pumilum, and especially Lilium brownii (Chinese: 百合; pinyin: bǎihé) and Lilium davidii var. unicolor are grown on a large scale in China as a luxury or health food, and are most often sold in dry form for herb, the fresh form often appears with other vegetables.