Zhejiang's Lin'an City is a major producing area for Changhua hickory nut. The history of the city's growing hickory nuts is over 300 years. At present, the area for growing hickory nuts is about 42,180 ac., occupying the state's 57 per cent; and the annual output volume of hickory nuts is 2,500 tons, taking the state's 68 per cent. In 1998, the output volume of the city's hickory nuts topped 4,013 tons, which brought about a total output value of 150 million yuan, occupying 10.3 per cent of the city's gross output value.