SHANGHAI shoppers can sample the famed white spirits and organic bounty of Chongming Island from April 10-16 in 50 supermarkets, malls and large wet markets downtown, writes Fei Lai

Chongming County is famous for its special agricultural products grown organically on the eco-island of fertile soil, fresh air and pure streams.

Specialties include fabled Chongming White Spirit, sugar sorghum, nutritious farmed pigeons, white goat meat, hairy crabs, white beans, pumpkins and squash, celery cabbage, dragon-beard asparagus and many fruits.

A promotion of Chongming produce will be held from April 10-16 in downtown city supermarkets, malls and large wet markets.

Sugar sorghum

Sugar sorghum (tian lu su) is another famous specialty, yielding unrefined sugar and syrup. Everyone on the island is familiar with it.

Individual farmers used to sell it locally, but it wasn't preserved, packaged and transported to downtown Shanghai and elsewhere until last year. The small market and low sales volume meant that farmers didn't have a big incentive to plant it.

The Shanghai Lupin Fruit and Vegetable Professional Cooperative was established in July, expanding the market and improving processing with scientific and technological support from Nanjing University. Vacuum packaging was developing, solving the problem of preservation that limited transport and export.

The cooperative covers 4,500 square meters, and farmers are helped in running a business and develop sugar sorghum derivative products.

Around 500 bags were sold daily in Shanghai last year, says Zhu Ganfeng, general manager of the cooperative. The farmers also developed sugar sorghum juice to meet customer demand.

Daily sales volume of sugar sorghum in Shanghai is expected to reach 6,000 bags, and sales of juice will reach 1,000 bottles in the near future.

The cooperative plans to expand growing area to 58 hectares this year. After processing in June, the products will be on the market in July.

Big volume not only raises farmers' interests but increases their income, says Zhu.

"Large-scale planting adds more green to the island," he says, "and has sound social and ecological benefits."

Pigeon

Pigeon meat has a delicate, delicious taste, it's high in protein, low in fat and easy to digest.

Pigeons are raised organically in a natural environment to meet market demand for high-quality meat.

They range over 9,800 square meters in the Shanghai Jinge Eco-Agriculture Co Ltd in the Shanghai Jinqiao Economic Development Zone. The breeding farm is 2,800 square meters.

Pigeons mate for life and are a symbol of enduring love. A third pigeon cannot break them up.

On the breeding farm, some pigeon couples are looking after their fledglings together. Some eggs are hatching.

Professionals track their growth daily.

Around 12,000 pairs of pigeons are being raised, says Ding Weibing, general manager of the company.

They are fed organically grown corn, wheat, peas and broomcorn, not commercial mixed feed.

"This reflects consumer demand for organic pigeon meat without chemicals (and feed grown without pesticides), meat that is high in protein, low in cholesterol and calories."

The company produces 14,500 pigeons each month; in 2008 it produced 180,000 pigeons, making it one of the largest in Shanghai.

Chongming pigeon is available in supermarkets across the city, and it's a popular dish at restaurants such as Xiao Nan Guo.

Chongming producers have visited pigeon breeders in Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province to get valuable information on how to produce high-quality pigeons.

The company is hiring peoplein their 50s and 60s and plans to recruit more to help solve theunemployment problem.

Chongming White Spirit

One of China's most famous spirits is Chongming White Spirit (Chongming laobaijiu, or Chongming mijiu), fermented from glutinous rice. It's sweet-sour and pleasant in flavor, and though it's said to be low in alcohol, it still famously packs a punch.

It is said during construction of embankments and other works for the Dongtan wetlands, workers had to fortify themselves with several cups of white spirit a day, especially during heavy snowstorms. The project had to be completed on time, and white spirit played a part.

It's a staple of Chongming culture. It is served to guests from afar to show hospitality, and it's a must on special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays and family reunions.

Just a whiff brings back memories for those who grew up on Chongming and moved away.

Chongming White Spirit is different from common distilled white spirit and yellow wine. Cauliflower yellow and October white types are best.

It has a strong aftertaste °?-- and effect.

"Good taste alone wouldn't make the wine so popular. Otherwise, people could drink fermented glutinous rice," says Gu Shixin, general manager of Shanghai Nongjia Brewing Co Ltd.

"It's the intoxication, getting a bit tipsy, that gives the wine its special charm."

Its history dates back more than 700 years and it has been popular since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), especially in the reign of Emperor Kangxi.

During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), it is said, Chongming farmers used herbs and rice to make fermented glutinous rice.

After several days, the wine was ready to drink.

Many farmers distilled their own, and private breweries were thriving at that time.

In 1956, breweries were consolidated into five joint enterprises. Production methods have been improved, and special varieties were developed.

Chongming White Spirit is popular in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui and Fujian provinces, among others, and is exported to Europe.

Manager Gu says nowadays consumers are demanding about quality and taste.

He spent 130,000 yuan (US$19,046) on water-processing equipment to improve the water quality.

The processing and mixture with alcohol-producing yeast is complicated.

Brewing season is February to April and October to December.

Chongming White Spirit has received national protected geographic indication (NPGI) status from China's General Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. "NPGI" is a sign of international protection for intellectual property rights.

The protected product is packaged with a standard label showing its Chongming origin, says Gu. White spirit produced outside Chongming cannot receive that label.

"This is an effort to protect native products like Chongming White Spirit," he says, "and crack down on counterfeit spirit made elsewhere."

Other products

Chongming hairy crab

This crab has a special, distinctive flavor. It has a small body, thin shell, delicate and fragrant meat. Both females and males are popular in China and abroad. Males contain rich fat.

As with other crabs, the "three removals" are required before eating: take out the gills, stomach and intestine. Chongming hairy crabs are nutritious. Every 100 grams of meat contains 14g protein, 6g fat, 129 mg calcium, 145 mg phosphorous and other vitamins and minerals. It has around 140 calories.

Yellow squash

Chongming is famous for its numerous varieties of gourds, squashes and pumpkins, in the curcubita pepo family.

One of the best known is golden towel gourd (jin gua), similar to yellow crooked neck squash. It has been planted on the island for more than 100 years.

It's crisp, delicious and has a faint scent. It's loaded with nutrition, including beta carotene.

In traditional Chinese medicine, it's considered a tonic used to improve qi, detoxify, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain.

White beans

These are commonly called foreign haricot, or beans. They have flat white pods containing two or three white seeds. It's an island specialty and widely planted in kitchen gardens for farmers themselves. It's nutritious and tasty.

Chongming cabbage

This cabbage is commonly known as celery cabbage and has been planted for more than 150 years. It's white, yellow and solid. Cabbage is extremely nutritious and easy to keep without refrigeration.

Asparagus

Dragon-beard vegetable, or common asparagus root is now in season. Harvest ends in April.

It's crisp, delicious and very nutritious. Canned asparagus from Chongming is sold in Japan, Europe and the Middle East.