Compared with ordinary persimmon (right), Tongzhou Qi'an persimmon (left) is larger and more orange-yellow in color. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Rudong Ranghe and Tongzhou Qi'an persimmon – two agricultural specialties of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province – were granted Agro-product Geographical Indication certificates by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on July 7.

So far, the city of Nantong has had 16 agricultural products recognized as Agro-product Geographical Indication products, including Haimen goat, Qidong broad bean, and Rudong Langshan chicken.

Tongzhou Qi'an persimmon is juicy, sweet and seedless, with thin and easy-to-tear skin.

During the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722) in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a man named Zhang Xiaoliu brought persimmon seedlings back to the Tongzhou area and planted them there.

Due to their relatively large and square shape, the fruits were named Da Fang Shi, literally "large square persimmon". The fruits grown in the Qi'an and Zhangsha areas were higher in quality, resulting in the name Qi'an persimmon.

Qi'an persimmon is now mainly grown in Shizong and Shigang towns in Tongzhou, involving 33 administrative villages. The fruit has a 4,000-mu (267-hectare) plantation area and an annual output of 4,000 tons.