Maba Sticky Rice

Maba Sticky Rice

Maba Sticky Rice is a geographical indication protected product.

　　Maba Sticky Rice is a traditional high-quality rice variety from Qujiang County, known for its slender grains, firm texture, crystal-clear appearance, and high oil content. The grains are long and slender, pearly white, soft, smooth, and delicious, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth after meals. It has long been one of the major varieties of exported rice in China. Maba Sticky Rice is a famous and premium specialty of Qujiang County and was once served as “tribute rice” during the feudal era. (Shaoguan)

　　 Maba Sticky Rice is of exceptionally high quality. When cooked in a clay pot, it gives off a rich aroma, and the surface of the rice glistens with oil. When a grain is placed on paper, it leaves an oily mark, hence the name “oil sticky.” It is named “Maba Sticky Rice” because it originates from Maba in Qujiang.

　　Maba Sticky Rice originally came from a small plot of paddy fields located between two hills at Maba Lion Rock, the birthplace of the over 4,000-year-old “Shixia Culture.” During an archaeological excavation at Lion Rock, cultural relics units discovered carbonized clusters of rice and grains. These were identified by the Crop Research Institute of the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences as cultivated rice. Research indicates that these carbonized grains date back over 4,000 years. Based on the shape of the carbonized grains, experts believe them to be indica rice, which bears a striking resemblance in size and shape to Maba Sticky Rice, thereby confirming a definite ancestral connection. [2]

　　 Production Environment

　　Maba Sticky Rice relies on the region’s unique soil, water quality, climate, and cultural factors.

　　[3] It is produced using distinctive breeding and processing techniques, resulting in rice with a glossy, shiny appearance and a rich, oily texture. [2] Maba Town in Qujiang District is located south of downtown Shaoguan, featuring terrain that slopes from the east to the southwest and is characterized by hilly landforms. With a mid-subtropical monsoon climate, the area enjoys an average annual temperature of 20.1°C and annual rainfall of 1,600 mm. The town has abundant water resources and a long history of rice cultivation, all of which contribute to the superior quality of Maba Sticky Rice.

　　 Product Honors

　　Maba Sticky Rice has enjoyed a high reputation historically. The 1902 (Guangxu 28th Year of Qing Dynasty) “Qujiang Local Chronicles” documented its use as tribute rice for the imperial court. In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, it was sold as a local specialty to Southeast Asian countries. In the 1950s, it was showcased at the India International Fair, where it won the title of “High-Quality Rice.” After 1996, it received numerous accolades, including the Gold Award at the Second China Agricultural Expo, the “Famous Brand Product” title at the Third China Agricultural Expo, the first batch of China’s Five Categories of Food “QS” certification, the National “Green Food” label, as well as the “Trustworthy Rice” certification issued by the China Grain Industry Association.

　　Protected Origin Product

　　In accordance with the “Protected Origin Product Regulations,” the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China approved the application for the protection of the origin of Maba Sticky Rice, implementing protected origin status effective September 20, 2004 (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Announcement No. 127, 2004).

　　Protected Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic scope of Maba Sticky Rice is based on the region proposed in the “Letter Regarding the Application for Protected Origin Product Status of Maba Sticky Rice” (Qu Fu Han [2004] No. 31) issued by the People’s Government of Qujiang County, Guangdong Province, covering the entire administrative region of Qujiang County.