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Shulan in NE China presents boutique rice [China Daily: Hong Kong Edition](China Daily: Hong Kong Edition Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Press conference is held on Oct 18 in Beijing to introduce the rice from Shulan of Northeast China's Jilin province. [Photo/Xinhua] When thinking of the best rice in China, most would think of Wuchang in China's Heilongjiang province. Due to its geological advantages, Northeast China produces some of the country's best crop. Now, Shulan, another city in the hometown of China's best rice, is making its name. Shulan rice was registered as a Chinese Geographical Indications Product in 2009, and the local government has been actively promoting the brand in recent year in various forms, such as last week's Beijing press conference to promote the region's boutique rice. Red rice, paradise Once mainly reserved for the imperial families during the Qing Dynasty, Shulan rice in Jilin province is less known by people compared with that of its neighbor Wuchang, which has already been well marketed and branded by the local government. The quality of rice is decided by the geological location, climate, earth, light, rainfall and air. Wang Jingsong, deputy mayor of Shulan and chairman of Shulan Rice Association, believes that Shulan has all the natural conditions needed to grow the best crop. Rice from Shulan is displayed at a press conference held in Beijing on Oct 18 to introduce the crop from Northeast China's Jilin province. [Photo/Xinhua] According to Wang, Shulan's fertile black earth is rich in organic matter and mineral elements, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which are suitable for the crop. Located at the range of Changbai Mountain with a forest coverage rate of 65 percent, Shulan meets the national A level to grow green products for its air quality. The city's latitude, 43-44 degree north, falls into the world's golden rice belt, which is between 40-45 degree north, which is also a base for many other famous rice production regions, including Heilongjiang's Wuchang, Xinjiang's Miqian and Japan's Hokkaido. Red rice, paradise Shulan has a cultivated area of 1,380 square kilometers, with a stable yearly grain production of 1.2 million tons. In the past few years, rice processing companies have grown to 68, with a capacity to process more than a million tons each year. The local government is also working with distribution companies in other cities to promote the products, as well as the place of origin – Shulan. Chen Xiaozhong, general manager with Daohua Piaoxiang, the Beijing distributor of Shulan rice, said they plan to sell 2.5 million kilos of high quality Shulan rice in Beijing in 2015. View of rice crop in Xihe village in Shulan city, Northeast China's Jilin province, Sept 27, 2008. [Photo/IC] Farmers harvest the crop in Shulan in Northeast China's Jilin province, Oct 2, 2011. [Photo/IC] (c) 2014 China Daily Information Company. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |