Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice

Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice

　　Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice

　　Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice is one of the "Five Aromatic Specialties" of our county. It is produced in five townships in the northeastern part of the county. The rice is of premium quality, highly nutritious, and has an exceptionally fragrant taste, earning the reputation that “when one family cooks it, ten households can smell its aroma.” The photo shows freshly harvested Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice.

　　Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice is mainly produced in the high-altitude mountainous areas of Minglun Town, Dongxing Town, Longyan Township, and Xunle Township in Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County, as well as in Wenyah Village in Luoyang Town. It is said that Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County has been cultivating Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice since the early Qing Dynasty, boasting a history of over 400 years. Legend has it that “Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice” was once offered as a tribute to the imperial court alongside “Changbei Fragrant Sticky Rice” and “Huanjiang Fragrant Pig.” According to the “Yibei County Annals” and “Sinan County Annals” from the Republican era, under the sections on industries, produce, and agriculture, it is recorded: “Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice falls under the category of grains, with four varieties: red glutinous rice, small red glutinous rice, fragrant glutinous rice, and white glutinous rice. The glutinous rice is sown two to three days before or after the Start of Summer and harvested around White Dew. By September, the grains are collected and stored in warehouses. Due to the cold climate, only one crop per year can be planted in the county.” Because of the superior quality of this rice variety, local farmers have maintained the original strain through continuous cultivation.

　　Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice comes in two types—red and white. The grains are slender. When husked, red glutinous rice grains appear pinkish, while white ones are snow-white. Both red and white varieties are of exceptional quality, rich in starch and amino acids, and also contain abundant proteins, as well as various mineral elements such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. Highly nutritious and fragrantly soft to the taste, when the rice is being cooked, its enticing aroma can be detected within a 20-meter radius, hence the saying “when one family cooks it, four neighbors can enjoy the fragrance.” It is considered a premium-grade rice and a treasured gift bestowed by the unique natural environment of the Jiǔwàn Mountains' high-altitude cold region.

　　Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice is a rare and precious grain crop. Due to the preservation of the original strain in cultivation and the exclusive use of pig and cow manure, grass ash, and green manure as fertilizers—without any chemical fertilizers—coupled with the cold climate, its yield is extremely low, ranging between 150 to 300 kilograms per mu. To develop this valuable industry, the People’s Government of Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County places great emphasis on it, having introduced relevant support policies and intensified brand development efforts, making the future prospects of the industry very promising. Currently, the market price of Huanjiang Fragrant Glutinous Rice is 12–15 yuan per kilogram, and demand far exceeds supply. Compared to ordinary rice, its price is 9–11 yuan higher per kilogram, directly increasing farmers’ income by 1,100–1,300 yuan per mu.