The renowned Majiagou Celery from Pingdu has been awarded Qingdao's first certification as a Geographical Indication (GI) Product Brand—a credential recognised in over 200 countries and regions, serving as an "economic passport" for tapping into international trade.
The Certification for Geographical Indication (GI) Product Brand is issued by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) based on authoritative industry standards. It rigorously evaluates enterprises approved to use the GI label across key metrics—including brand management, geographical indication usage, quality control, and sustainable development—selecting only the most qualified candidates for certification. The certificate's core value is transforming a product's "origin advantage" into a "market advantage" to provide authoritative endorsement for premium market entry while granting certified enterprises priority access to high-level platforms such as the China International Conference for the Cooperation on the Premium Geographical Indication Brands (CIGI). Additionally, it enhances brand visibility through international trade promotion channels for GI products.
As a premier variety of hollow-stem celery in China, Majiagou Celery boasts a cultivation history spanning over a millennium. Renowned for its tender yellowish stalks, straight hollow stems, and distinctive crisp texture with a refreshing aroma, this specialty crop has gained nationwide acclaim. With an annual production reaching 30 million kilograms, the industry supports over 3,000 farming households and generates 150 million yuan in yearly output value, establishing itself as a flagship sector driving local agricultural prosperity.
"The successful certification of Qingdao's first Geographical Indication Product Brand for Majiagou Celery marks not only a milestone for GI producers but also a crucial opportunity to advance high-quality agricultural development," according to an official from Pingdu's CCPIT office. They plan to fully leverage the certification's potential by systematically promoting branding, standardization and market-oriented operations for multiple GI products across the city. This includes cultivating leading enterprises like Majiagou Celery to enhance product reputation and market competitiveness, while guiding large-scale growers and cooperatives to strengthen brand awareness and expand the label of "Pingdu Premium Agriculture" as a regional brand to channel premium GI products from Pingdu into domestic mid-to-high-end markets and global supply chains and transform these quality agricultural products into sustainable drivers for increasing farmers' incomes, strengthening agriculture, and revitalizing rural areas.
