Guangshan "Double Low" Rapeseed

Guangshan "Double Low" Rapeseed

　　Guangshan County is located in the southern part of Henan Province, at the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains and on the southern bank of the Huai River. It features a transitional climate from the northern subtropical to the warm temperate zone, with distinct seasons, concurrent rain and heat, a frost-free period of 226 days, and an average annual temperature of 15.3°C. The county is abundant in rice, rapeseed, and tea, and is known as the "Jiangnan of the North" and the "Land of Fish and Rice." The county currently has a population of 803,000, including 696,000 agricultural residents. It has 827,100 mu of arable land, making it a typical large agricultural county. In recent years, the Guangshan County Party Committee and County Government have relied on policy, technology, and investment, adapted measures to local conditions, and vigorously developed the production of high-quality "Double Low" rapeseed, strengthening the rapeseed industry. Over recent years, the rapeseed planting area has expanded, yields have increased, and quality has improved, rapidly becoming a leading agricultural industry in Guangshan. In the winter of 2002, Chen Mengshan, Director of the Planting Industry Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, and domestic rapeseed experts visited Guangshan to inspect rapeseed production and gave full recognition. In 2003, Guangshan County was included in the national high-quality rapeseed industry development belt in the Yangtze River Basin. In 2005, the county’s rapeseed planting area reached 457,000 mu, with rapeseed output of 65,300 tons, ranking 73rd among the top 100 oilseed-producing counties in China.

Focus on bases to promote regional-scale planting. Since 2000, Guangshan County has adhered to the principle of developing premium agricultural products in advantageous regions. Through scientific planning and rational layout, it has focused on building a 350,000-mu high-quality rapeseed production base centered around the irrigation areas of the five major reservoirs: Wuyue, Pohé, Longshan, and Chenxingzhai. Following the principles of "expert recommendation, market acceptance, government guidance, and public approval," the county promotes high-quality rapeseed varieties, implements the "one township, one variety (seed)" approach, and advances concentrated, contiguous, and large-scale rapeseed cultivation.

Focus on technology to promote standardized production techniques. To fully leverage Guangshan’s agricultural resource advantages, the County Party Committee and County Government have implemented a "technology-driven rapeseed development" strategy. With the application of scientific and technological achievements and the development of modern agriculture as key initiatives, they emphasize both yield and quality to achieve industrial upgrading of the rapeseed sector. The County Agriculture Bureau has formulated the "Standardized Production Technical Regulations for High-Quality Rapeseed," established a number of high-yield demonstration zones for "Double Low" rapeseed, and guided farmers to learn by example and practice on-site. Agricultural technicians are assigned to townships and villages, providing frontline technical training, field guidance, distributing materials, and screening specialized science and technology videos to ensure that key techniques—such as seedling transplanting, formula fertilization, and integrated pest and weed management—are effectively implemented in the fields, thereby producing high-quality rapeseed from premium varieties.

Focus on leading enterprises to promote industrialized operations. By employing policy incentives, government support, and market mechanisms, the county cultivates and strengthens leading enterprises, engages in contract-based production, mitigates production risks, and improves planting benefits. Currently, the county has over 60 enterprises (intermediaries) engaged in rapeseed seed acquisition, distribution, and processing, with nearly 1,000 employees and more than 800 chain-operated outlets, ensuring that Guangshan’s rapeseed seeds can be sold and marketed effectively.