Shangsi Fragrant Glutinous Rice

Shangsi Fragrant Glutinous Rice

Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice is a product with geographical indication status.

　　Fragrant glutinous rice is a renowned specialty of Shangsi with a long history: records of it have appeared in the county annals of Shangsi since the Daoguang Edition of the Shangsi State Annals. The unique quality of Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice comes from the area’s exceptional natural environment, cultivation techniques, and superior rice varieties. In 1984, it was rated as an “Exquisite Variety” by the Guangxi Grain Bureau; in December 2004, it received pollution-free production area certification from the Guangxi Department of Agriculture. In December 2006, the National Standardization Management Committee designated the People's Government of Shangsi County as a national agricultural standardization demonstration zone for fragrant glutinous rice production. On December 30, 2013, it was awarded geographical indication registration for agricultural products by the Ministry of Agriculture. Among the first batch of county-level intangible cultural heritage representative works announced by the Shangsi County People's Government, five folk handicraft skills related to Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice—including Shangsi glutinous cake—were included, accounting for one-fourth of the total 20 items on the first list. In October 2013, the regional culture musical Shangxi Xiangnuo Xiang (Fragrant Rice is Fragrant), created by Shangsi County, won an Excellence Award in the Drama category at the finals of the “Stars Award” during the 10th China Arts Festival.

　　Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice is a specialty of Shangsi County. It features pure rice quality, white as jade, rich fragrance, and becomes soft and highly sticky when made into various foods. For example, steamed glutinous rice grains glisten with oil, taste sweet and delicious, can be pressed into firm shapes or left to expand softly, are tender and smooth with stickiness, and offer a pleasant texture and aroma. As the saying goes, “A field planted with fragrant rice perfumes the whole valley; a household steaming it fills the whole village with its scent.” It is a premium ingredient used in local festive foods such as zongzi, New Year cakes, puffed rice, tangyuan, glutinous rice cakes, and glutinous rice meals. Regular consumption is believed to have health benefits.

　　Over the past few years, Shangsi County has prioritized fragrant glutinous rice cultivation as a key measure to develop local specialties and increase farmers’ incomes. Each year, the county plants around 50,000 mu of Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice. To maintain its premium quality, standardized production practices have been implemented, including the establishment of pollution-free production bases. Agricultural technology departments carefully guide farmers in seed selection and purification, and in choosing fields far from pollution sources—with good farmland ecology and irrigation water and air quality that meet pollution-free production standards. The resulting produce meets green food criteria. Last year, the Autonomous Region Department of Agriculture certified Shangsi County as a pollution-free rice production base. This year, samples of Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice were sent to the national Ministry of Agriculture for testing, and the results confirmed full compliance with pollution-free agricultural product standards.

　　The national Ministry of Agriculture has certified Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice as a pollution-free agricultural product and issued the corresponding certificate. This marks the first pollution-free agricultural product in Fangchenggang City to receive such recognition from the Ministry of Agriculture. In 2013, the “Shangsi Fragrant Glutinous Rice” application submitted by the Shangsi County Agricultural Technology Extension Station passed the review of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center and expert evaluation, leading to its implementation under the national agricultural product geographical indication registration and protection system.

　　The national Ministry of Agriculture has certified Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice as a pollution-free agricultural product and issued the corresponding certificate. This marks the first pollution-free agricultural product in Fangchenggang City to receive such recognition from the Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice is a specialty of Shangsi County. Its rice is white and translucent, with a fragrant taste. Over the past few years, Shangsi County has prioritized fragrant glutinous rice cultivation as a key measure to develop local specialties and increase farmers’ incomes. Each year, the county plants around 50,000 mu of Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice. To maintain its premium quality, standardized production practices have been implemented, including the establishment of pollution-free production bases. Agricultural technology departments carefully guide farmers in seed selection and purification, and in choosing fields far from pollution sources—with good farmland ecology and irrigation water and air quality that meet pollution-free production standards. The resulting produce meets green food criteria. Last year, the Autonomous Region Department of Agriculture certified Shangsi County as a pollution-free rice production base. This year, samples of Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice were sent to the national Ministry of Agriculture for testing, and the results confirmed full compliance with pollution-free agricultural product standards.

　　Shangsi is a magical and beautiful land. It boasts many famous local specialties, and fragrant glutinous rice is one of them.

　　Fragrant glutinous rice is a renowned specialty of Shangsi, well-known both within and beyond the region. In 1984, after a grain quality evaluation involving 32 counties and cities conducted by the Regional Grain Bureau, Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice and Sanjiang black glutinous rice were rated as “Exquisite Varieties.” According to the Shangsi County Annals (2000 edition), the cultivation of fragrant glutinous rice in Shangsi has a long history. This variety is the result of superior soil and climatic conditions specific to Shangsi, along with careful selection, breeding, and cultivation by local farmers. It features pure rice quality, white as jade, rich fragrance, and becomes soft and highly sticky when made into various foods. For example, steamed glutinous rice grains glisten with oil, taste sweet and delicious, can be pressed into firm shapes or left to expand softly, are tender and smooth with stickiness, and offer a pleasant texture and aroma. As the saying goes, “A field planted with fragrant rice perfumes the whole valley; a household steaming it fills the whole village with its scent.” It is a premium ingredient used in local festive foods such as zongzi, New Year cakes, puffed rice, tangyuan, glutinous rice cakes, and glutinous rice meals. Regular consumption is believed to have health benefits.

　　Over the past few years, Shangsi County has prioritized fragrant glutinous rice cultivation as a key measure to develop local specialties and increase farmers’ incomes. Each year, the county plants around 50,000 mu of Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice. To maintain its premium quality, standardized production practices have been implemented, including the establishment of pollution-free production bases. Agricultural technology departments carefully guide farmers in seed selection and purification, and in choosing fields far from pollution sources—with good farmland ecology and irrigation water and air quality that meet pollution-free production standards. The resulting produce meets green food criteria. Last year, the Autonomous Region Department of Agriculture certified Shangsi County as a pollution-free rice production base. This year, samples of Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice were sent to the national Ministry of Agriculture for testing, and the results confirmed full compliance with pollution-free agricultural product standards.

　　In 2013, the “Shangsi Fragrant Glutinous Rice” application submitted by the Shangsi County Agricultural Technology Extension Station passed the review of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center and expert evaluation, leading to its implementation under the national agricultural product geographical indication registration and protection system.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic indication area for Shangsi fragrant glutinous rice includes eight towns under Shangsi County—Siyang Town, Zaimiao Town, Jiao’an Township, Pingfu Township, Hualan Township, Nanping Township, Naqin Township, and Gongzheng Township—as well as 80 administrative villages under their jurisdiction and the state-owned Changling Farm. The protected area lies south of the Tropic of Cancer, between 107°32′–108°16′ east longitude and 21°44′–22°12′ north latitude. The protected area spans 55,000 mu, with an annual yield of 15,000 tons.