Quzhou Ponkan Orange Planting Area--Zhejiang

Quzhou, Located in the west of Zhejiang province,is known as the "Hometown of Ponkan Orange" was named as a provincial orange forest park by the Zhejiang Privincial Forestry Bureau in 2006. Quzhou has a more than 4000 years' long history of cultivating ponkan orange, both the planting area and the output are all in the first place in China. Quzhou enjoys four distinct seasons, plentiful sunshine and resources, so Quzhou ponkan orange is succulent, sweet and surface slippery, and rich in fiber, Vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, phosphate and zinc.

In 2008, Quzhou harvested 960,000 tons of ponkan orange, but because of no enough sales market and processing capability, only one tenth of it was sold out.

Quzhou Ponkan Orange is oblate in shape with an average weight of 130 grams. Its top is recessed and button is flattened or a bit projecting with 7 or 8 longitude lines shooting around. Peel is in yellow luster, loose and easy to peel off. The peel’s thickness is usually from 0.25 to 0.34 cm. Pulp is divided into 9 – 11 segments, which are plump and like a kidney. During picking season, every 100ml juice contains 10 - 12 grams of invert sugar, 0.9 - 1.3 grams of citric acid, and 36 – 50 mg of vitamin C. Its soluble solid contents take up12.5- 13.5% of the pulp. Some fruits even reach to as high as 15%. Besides, it is storage stable and a good gift during festivals.