Yiwu brown sugar [Zhejiang Yiwu specialty]

What is Yiwu brown sugar? Authentic Zhejiang Yiwu specialty: Yiwu brown sugar

Content summary:Do you want to know what Yiwu brown sugar is? This article is a detailed introduction toZhejiang Yiwu specialty - Yiwu brown sugar. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network after reviewing and collecting relevant information on Yiwu brown sugar. The full text takes about 10 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Yiwu brown sugar and its nutritional value? What are the product characteristics of Yiwu brown sugar? How did the history of Yiwu brown sugar come about? The production method of Yiwu brown sugar, the awards and honors of Yiwu brown sugar, etc

Basic Introduction to Yiwu Brown Sugar

The reputation of Yiwu as the "hometown of brown sugar" has been widely spread for a long time. Brown sugar, also known as Wuqing, was awarded a special prize at the West Lake Expo as early as 1929. It is a well-known bulk soil product in Yiwu. According to the analysis results, due to the high purity of white sugar, which contains almost no trace element components, its nutritional benefits are naturally incomparable to brown sugar. In technologically advanced Japan, many foods are even labeled with the words "pure brown sugar", which indirectly indicates that brown sugar has a different function from white sugar, so households and canteens should always have brown sugar

The color is tender yellow with a hint of cyan, the texture is soft, scattered like fine sand, pure and slag free, sweet and fresh, fragrant and delicious, containing 38.5 milligrams of iron. The human body also needs a high amount of trace elements such as manganese and zinc. In addition, it also contains components such as carotenoids, riboflavin, and niacin

In history, the production scale of brown sugar in Yiwu was small, and the production tools and technology were very backward. The quantity of sugar produced was small and the quality was poor. It was a self-sufficient production for self consumption. During good times, farmers not only ate and used it for themselves, but also went to the market to sell in small quantities. After the production of brown sugar reaches a certain scale of development, the brown sugar market begins to emerge. Fotang Town, located 30 miles southwest of the county town, was historically a commercially developed market town and a major distribution center for brown sugar due to its convenient water transportation. During the peak season when brown sugar is on the market, merchants from both inside and outside the county gather. Merchants from other places mainly include Lanxi Zhu Zhengda, with annual sales ranging from tens of thousands of kilograms to hundreds of thousands of kilograms. The main operator of brown sugar business in the local area is Nanhuozhan, which only engages in retail sales, with some slightly stronger capital also engaged in export sales. Wang Zonghai, a former owner of Ruixiangtai in Fotang Town and a former industrial and commercial businessman, and Qiu Zhonghao, a sugar shop owner, jointly operated and sold brown sugar to Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi and other places with the help of Shanghai Sugar Shop. As soon as this type of joint operation organization and method appeared, "business economics" became more particular, such as dividing brown sugar into grades; Pricing by level, engaging in both retail and wholesale. Due to the strict classification of brown sugar quality and the expansion of business scope, "Yiwu Green" has gradually demonstrated its power and reputation in competition with other "green" varieties in foreign markets. After the Japanese invasion of Zhejiang, transportation was blocked, people were struggling, the market was depressed, and the production and sales of brown sugar were greatly impacted. There is a severe shortage of brown sugar in the market, and prices have skyrocketed. There has been a price comparison of one dan of brown sugar to ten dan of grain. As a result, some unscrupulous merchants often engage in behaviors such as substituting inferior goods for good ones and mixing them with miscellaneous ones, which also affects the reputation of "Yiwu Qing". After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan, sugar from other provinces flowed into the Zhejiang market, while brown sugar was unsold and difficult to sell became a major concern for sugar farmers, suppressing their production enthusiasm. Brown sugar production declined year by year. By 1949, the total production of brown sugar in the county was only about 70000 dan. After liberation, the production of brown sugar developed rapidly. By 1954, the production of brown sugar in the entire county had reached over 180000 dan. Production has developed, the market has become active again, and the purchasing and sales business is very prosperous. According to statistics, there were a total of 25 brown sugar purchasing points in the county and township supply and marketing cooperatives that year. In addition, they also organized rural tours to purchase brown sugar. During the peak harvest season, they collected more than 1500 dan of brown sugar per day. With the support and organization of relevant government departments, the County Federation of Industry and Commerce has been very active in the purchase and sale of brown sugar, assisting various purchasing points in fast collection and adjustment. Today's collection, tomorrow's adjustment, and transportation of brown sugar to Hangzhou, Jiaxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan, Jinhua and other places have achieved remarkable results. Since then, Yiwu brown sugar has gained great reputation, with production and sales accounting for more than one-third of the province's total, becoming the main production area of brown sugar in the province. In 1982, the sugar production in the county reached 290000 dan, an increase of 4.2 times compared to 1949

The production method of Yiwu brown sugar

Brown sugar is extracted from the sugar water of sugar stalks, which are different from sugarcane. Sugar stalks are blue, while sugarcane is purple. Sugar stalks have higher sugar content and less moisture compared to sugarcane So it is suitable for making brown sugar

Brown sugar can also produce many derivatives, such as sesame sugar/Fried Dough Twists sugar/ginger sugar The most popular among them is ginger candy, which is made in the same way as brown sugar. Later, ginger powder is added and boiled together. When it is almost solid, it is poured into an "iron boat", which floats on the surface of the water. This will allow the ginger candy to cool quickly. After cooling, it is crushed by a machine and then twisted into snake like long strips, which are drilled into the track, passed through gears, and turned into strings like chains. With a "ba..." drop, the strings become ginger candies one by one

The award-winning honor of Yiwu brown sugar

In 1929, it was awarded a special prize at the West Lake Expo