Longhua Rice

Longhua Rice

Longhua Rice is a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

　　Longhua Rice is a specialty of Longhua County in Chengde City, Hebei Province. Known for its excellent taste, high nutritional value, and pollution-free quality, it is highly popular in the market and has long been hailed as the "Home of Rice in Hebei." Longhua Rice has been awarded the status of a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

　　Longhua County is located in the central part of Chengde City, on the western side of the Qilaotu Mountain Range. It borders Weichang County and Inner Mongolia to the north and northeast, Chengde City, Luanping County, and Chengde County to the south, and Fengning County to the west. The county seat is located in Longhua Town. Longhua lies within the mountainous region of northern Hebei, featuring ancient, hill-like mountains and river valley plains, especially the relatively wide valleys along both sides of the Yixun River.

　　Longhua County boasts abundant agricultural resources and is a major producer of rice, corn, millet, soybeans, and more. Among these, rice is a local specialty, with a cultivation area that remains stable at around 230,000 mu, including 150,000 mu of high-quality rice fields. Longhua Rice is widely favored in the market for its good taste, high nutritional value, and pollution-free quality. It has been designated by the provincial government as the "Home of Rice in Hebei," and Longquan Rice Industry Co., Ltd., a leading enterprise, is recognized as a key agricultural industrialization company in Hebei Province.

　　In recent years, the county has further improved rice quality and yield, as well as the level of industrialization, through measures such as promoting new varieties of high-quality rice, introducing advanced rice planting technologies, and strengthening local leading enterprises in rice production and processing.

　　In accordance with the "Regulations on the Protection of Geographical Indication Products," the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine organized experts to review the application for Geographical Indication Product protection for Longhua Rice. After a successful review, Longhua Rice was officially approved as a Geographical Indication Protected Product, with protection measures taking effect immediately.

　　Quality and Technical Requirements for Longhua Rice

　　I. Varieties

　　Suitable varieties for cultivation within the designated area, such as the Wuyou series and Songjing series.

　　II. Growing Conditions

　　Brown earth-type paddy soil or meadow-type paddy soil, with organic matter content ≥1.5%, and pH value between 6.8 and 7.5.

　　III. Cultivation and Management

　　Cultivation and management adopt the dry nursery and sparse planting technique.

　　1. Seedling Nursery Cultivation:

　　(1) Cultivation Method: Dry nursery technique is used for seedling cultivation.

　　(2) Cultivation Procedures: Seed treatment → land preparation and bed making → seed soaking and sprouting, and sowing → nursery management.

　　(3) Sowing Period: From April 10 to 15, with a seedling cultivation period of 25 to 35 days.

　　(4) Key Aspects of Seedling Cultivation:

　　① Seed Treatment: Seeds are sun-dried for 2 to 3 days to remove impurities and unsound grains, followed by warm water soaking for disinfection.

　　② Seed Sprouting: Seeds are placed under conditions of 28°C to 30°C for sprouting.

　　③ Sowing: The seeding rate is 200g to 250g of sprouted seeds per square meter.

　　2. Field Transplanting: Sparse planting technique is used, with transplanting carried out from early to mid-May. Row and plant spacing is 26cm × 10cm, with 2 to 5 basic seedlings per hill.

　　3. Field Management: The principle of fertilization is to apply heavily at the early stage, control at the middle stage, and supplement at the later stage. Apply 1200kg to 3000kg of well-rotted organic fertilizer per 667㎡ (mu) as base fertilizer. Topdressing for tillering is applied 25 to 30 days after transplanting, with the amount not exceeding 15% of the total fertilizer.

　　4. Environmental and Safety Requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other inputs must comply with national regulations, and environmental contamination must be avoided.

　　5. Harvesting: From early to mid-October, harvest promptly after grains are fully mature. Harvest and thresh varieties separately, then dry and store after winnowing.

　　IV. Processing

　　Paddy rice → Screening → Stone removal → Magnetic separation → Hulling → Separation of husk and brown rice → Milling → Polishing → Color sorting → Packaging.

　　V. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory characteristics: The rice grains are long-oval in shape, translucent and shiny. The cooked rice is soft, palatable, and aromatic, with strong fragrance. It does not easily harden when cold.

　　2. Physicochemical indicators: Gel consistency ≥75.0 mm, amylose content 14% to 20%, protein content ≤6.5%, chalky grain rate ≤5.0%.

　　3. Safety and other quality technical requirements: The product’s safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with relevant national regulations.

　　Longhua Rice

　　The current administrative region of Longhua County, Hebei Province

　　“Report on Defining the Geographic Indication Product Protection Area of Longhua Rice” issued by the People’s Government of Longhua County, Document No. Long Zheng [2013] No. 32

　　Production Technical Specification for Longhua Rice in Longhua County: LHSJG01-2013 “Production Technical Specification for Longhua Rice”