Farm hands harvest Yunhe snow pears in Yunhe county. [Photo/Zhejiang Daily]

The much-admired Yunhe snow pear, produced in Yunhe county – administered by Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province – received another considerable accolade recently, when it was approved as a trademark with a geographic indication, or GI.

A GI product – with a special tag – is a recognized sign that shows a product has a specific geographical origin and possesses qualities or a reputation due to that origin. It is a quality guarantee, which distinguishes it from its competitors.

Yunhe county has been cultivating this kind of pear for more than 560 years. The pear is famous for its crisp, juicy and sweet taste.

At present, the county has a total of 12,500 mu (833 hectares) of pear orchards under cultivation, which can generate an annual output value of 120 million yuan ($17.84 million). Nearly 1,200 villagers are engaged in pear farming in Yunhe.

The Yunhe snow pear is famous for its crisp, juicy and sweet taste. [Photo/Zhejiang Daily]

Yunhe has been vigorously developing the pear industry in recent years by strengthening support for planting, brand cultivation and marketing and through agricultural festivals.

In 2022, the county developed an online application which realized the digital monitoring of production and intelligent early warnings for pear farmers.

In the meantime, the county has deepened the integration of its pear industry with local tourism resources.

Relying on the renowned Yunhe Terrace and Yunhe Lake Xiangong scenic spots, the county has organized a range of activities and received a number of cultural intellectual property rights centering on the snow pear.