Fengdu Chestnut Rice

Fengdu Chestnut Rice

Fengdu Chestnut Rice is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Thanks to its abundant production of high-quality rice, Lizi Township has become a renowned rice-producing area known throughout the county and even in neighboring districts and counties. Alongside a series of agricultural products such as Fengdu beef, Sanyuan red-heart pomelo, and Nanmu brocade orange, Lizi rice has emerged as a distinctive local specialty that has gained widespread recognition.

　　Long History

　　Lizi Township sits at an elevation between 300 and 1,425 meters, with higher terrain in the south and lower in the north. It is surrounded by rivers on three sides and backed by cliffs on the fourth, forming an isolated settlement. Due to the mountainous terrain, the area enjoys long hours of sunlight, which enhances photosynthesis and promotes chlorophyll synthesis in plants. The varied topography results in significant altitude differences, creating noticeable day-night temperature variations that help improve the quality of plant starch. In addition, the area is sparsely populated with minimal pollution, making it highly suitable for organic agriculture, especially rice cultivation.

　　"Although Lizi Township is relatively remote from the county seat and suffers from limited transportation, which has restricted industrial development, this has also created unique advantages for agriculture. There is no industrial pollution at all, and all crops are irrigated with spring water. As a result, the agricultural products produced here are pure, natural, and unpolluted, giving them a distinct quality advantage," explained Du Shibin, a committee member of the township.

　　Legend has it that many years ago, the rice from Lizi Township was already tribute rice for the imperial court. Especially in areas above 800 meters in elevation, the rice not only looked appealing but also tasted excellent. In 1999, the township sent two local rice varieties—black and white—to the Rice and Rice Products Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Testing Center of China’s Ministry of Agriculture for evaluation. The results showed that the black rice was significantly superior to China’s best black rice variety at the time, while the white rice matched the quality of Thailand’s top-grade jasmine rice, considered the finest in the world.

　　Since then, Lizi rice has gained increasing favor among consumers and commands a noticeably higher price than ordinary rice.

　　Fengdu Chestnut Rice

　　Fengdu County Agricultural Products Association

　　11112018

　　Rice