01 · About Shimen
A 600-YearCitrus Country
One county, 450,000 mu of orchards and a citrus industry that supports 60% of the rural population.
Shimen County, Changde, Hunan — orchards from the valley floor to the hills
The origin
Not a scattered small fruit — a county pillar
Shimen sits in northwest Hunan, where the Wuling hills roll into the Dongting Lake plain. A subtropical humid monsoon climate creates a warm micro-climate that suits early mandarins.
Of 27 townships, 18 are main citrus producers; of 331 villages, 201 grow citrus. Comprehensive sales reached RMB 1.975 bn, with the full cluster at RMB 3.115 bn.
Exports began in 1968 — to Russia, Canada, Southeast Asia and Hong Kong — and have continued without interruption ever since.
Citrus is not a side crop here. It is the county's economy, and its calendar.
Terroir
A state-approved production zone
- Northwest Hunan, transitioning from the Wuling hills to the Dongting plain
- Subtropical humid monsoon climate: mild winters, humid summers
- Dense creeks and wide hillside slopes across the county
- A warm micro-climate suited to early-maturing citrus
- A 50-km coordinated belt around Shimen: Linli, Lixian, Cili, Taoyuan
Scale
One county's citrus economy
- 450Kmu
- orchards (2026)
- 544Kt
- fresh fruit (2025)
- 60%
- of rural population in citrus
- 18 / 27
- townships are main producers
- RMB 1.975bn
- comprehensive sales
- RMB 3.115bn
- cluster output value
≈ 30,000 ha
54.43 万吨
County-wide
201 of 331 villages grow citrus
2026 industry profile
2026 industry profile
Sources: Changde government portal, Oct 2026; Shimen industry profile. 1 mu ≈ 667 m².
Milestones
From the first sailing to a modern origin
Source: Shimen County Citrus Association industry profile, 2026.
Hunan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (2004, Chinese original)1968
First export
Shipped to Canada, Russia, Southeast Asia and Hong Kong
1970s
High-standard orchards
County-wide contour-built orchards on terraced slopes
1977
Frost rebuild
Recovered from a rare −13 °C freeze
1980s
Scale-up
World Bank funding expanded the area to 200,000 mu
1987
National citrus export base county
Designated a national citrus export base county by the ministries of foreign trade and agriculture
2000
First county for early mandarins
Recognised by the China Citrus Society as China's first county for early-maturing mandarins
2001
Hometown of Chinese Citrus
Awarded by the State Forestry Administration; the first citrus festival was held the same year
2001.11
Citrus export demonstration zone
Named a national horticultural product (citrus) export demonstration zone by the ministries of agriculture and foreign trade
2008
National GI
Registered as a national GI certification trademark
2026
Modern origin
450K mu · 544K tonnes · RMB 3.115 bn cluster
Brand value · 2026
A historic breakout in brand value
35.75100M RMB
Brand value
Listed among China's Top 50 Regional Public Agricultural Brands in 2026.
- 26 editions of the China (Hunan Shimen) Citrus Festival, held every year since 2001
- Landmark outdoor screens on key city roads, plus rail station and on-train media
- Around three major domestic promotion events each year
Outdoor media for Shimen Citrus on key city roads
Talk to the origin
Ask for the season plan, variety specifications or certification files.
Data source: The People's Government of Changde City (Portal); Shimen County Citrus Association. 1 mu ≈ 667 m². Specifications are for reference only and subject to pre-shipment samples.