Glutinous rice industry exceeds 10 billion yuan in Huaiyuan, E China's Anhui

Photo shows glutinous rice in Huaiyuan, Bengbu city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Tao Tao)

In Huaiyuan county, Bengbu city, east China's Anhui Province, 900,000 mu (60,000 hectares) of glutinous rice have entered the harvest season, turning the land into a sea of gold. Harvesters move through the fields, drawing a beautiful picture of abundance.

Steamed Huaiyuan glutinous rice is prized for its delicate, chewy texture and lingering fragrance. Glutinous rice is an essential ingredient in wine, glutinous rice dumplings, and other delicacies. As a result, Huaiyuan has become a key partner and direct supplier for many liquor producers and grain-processing companies.

Huaiyuan's natural conditions give its glutinous rice a distinctive quality.

According to Liu Jian, a senior agronomist at a local farm, to produce high-quality crops, the farm employs a comprehensive approach that involves conducting soil testing, monitoring and preventing pests, and managing fields scientifically.

Machines harvest glutinous rice in Huaiyuan, Bengbu city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Tao Tao)

Technology has also transformed the harvest. The farm now operates one unmanned harvester, three unmanned rice transplanters, four field inspection robots, and over 100 unmanned plant protection drones.

"Now, each person can harvest 500 mu of rice a day, nearly 100 times more efficient than before," Liu said.

At the production workshop of Anhui Yinuoyuan Food Co., Ltd., dryers and processors hum at full speed as freshly harvested rice is dried, dehusked and bagged. The company handles up to 600 tonnes of glutinous rice a day, generating an annual output value of about 400 million yuan (about $56 million).

Not far away, at Anhui Jinsanmai Food Co., Ltd., Huaiyuan glutinous rice is transformed into a variety of popular products such as glutinous rice dumplings and shaomai, a traditional Chinese steamed pastry.

Harvesters reap rice in a field in Huaiyuan, Bengbu city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Tao Tao)

"Our shaomai are known for their thin wrappers and generous fillings. The key is Huaiyuan glutinous rice paired with high-quality minced meat. They're now sold at major supermarkets nationwide," said the production manager of Anhui Jinsanmai Food Co., Ltd.

In 2022, the total output value of Huaiyuan's glutinous rice industry chain exceeded 10 billion yuan. A complete ecosystem covering production, processing, and sales has taken shape, supported by a cluster of leading enterprises at the national, provincial and municipal levels.