Yan'an Millet

Yan'an Millet

Yan'an Millet is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Yan'an millet, also known as foxtail millet, benefits from the region's exceptional natural conditions and the long-term production practices of the local people. With abundant light and heat resources, significant day-night temperature variations, and high nutrient accumulation, the area yields rich harvests of millet. After minimal processing, the grains turn into the golden, fragrant millet we know. Yan'an millet made a special contribution to China’s revolution. In 1935, when the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao arrived in Northern Shaanxi after the Long March, millet nourished countless revolutionary soldiers. With "millet plus rifles," they defeated the airplanes and cannons of the reactionary forces. Since then, Yan'an millet has become known throughout China. It is golden in color, round and shiny in grain, translucent and bright, sticky and aromatic. Its protein content reaches 13%, and it is rich in various vitamins, especially lysine and methionine—amino acids essential to the human body but which cannot be synthesized internally. Millet can be steamed or boiled into porridge that is smooth, sticky, and fragrant, leaving a lingering taste and offering nourishment. It is said to "nourish the body" and is especially favored by the elderly, children, and pregnant women. In recent years, scientifically improved "Yan'an Fragrant Rice" has become an even higher-quality product, and bagged Yan'an Fragrant Rice has emerged as an important tourism commodity, in high demand. Yan'an mixed beans are sold at tourist shopping spots in scenic areas, major supermarkets in the city, and souvenir shops.

　　Yan'an millet is golden in color, round and shiny in grain, translucent and bright, sticky and aromatic. Its protein content reaches 13% and it is rich in various vitamins, especially lysine and methionine—amino acids essential to the human body but which cannot be synthesized internally.

　　Millet has been cultivated in Yan'an for about 7,000 years, and "historically, it has been the staple food of the local people." In 1935, when the Red Army arrived in Northern Shaanxi after the Long March and faced the Kuomintang, it was Yan'an's millet porridge that nourished countless revolutionary soldiers. Relying on the Yan'an spirit of self-reliance and hard struggle, the military and civilians of Yan'an used "millet plus rifles" to defeat the airplanes and cannons of the reactionary forces, eventually achieving great victories in the War of Resistance against Japan and the Liberation War. Since then, "Yan'an millet" became famous across China, and the concept of "millet plus rifles" spread worldwide.

　　In adjusting the agricultural industrial structure across the city, the Yan'an Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government have focused on the long-term development of "Yan'an millet." Leveraging the advantages of natural and red resources, using industrialized development as a vehicle, and supported by science and technology, they have actively integrated resources, strengthened collaborative research, broken through industry bottlenecks, and promoted industrial upgrading. In production, farmers are actively guided to properly balance quality and quantity. Through measures such as contiguous planting, scaled production, enhanced quality inspection, and contract purchasing, the standardized and regulated production of Yan'an millet is ensured to better meet market demand and improve its economic and social benefits.

　　With the growing popularity of Yan'an's red tourism, Yan'an millet is hailed as a "red product." The millet industry has become a major part of the city’s agriculture. In 2012, the city successfully registered the national geographical indication certification trademark for "Yan'an Millet." In 2013, "Yan'an Millet" was included in the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Directory of Famous, Special, and High-Quality Agricultural Products. Many enterprises and individuals have also registered their own millet product trademarks, forming an integrated production, supply, processing, and sales industry chain. Currently, the city has developed 35 millet processing enterprises with an annual processing capacity of over 8,000 tons. Among them, the largest processing enterprise is Ansai County Shengfeng Agricultural and Sideline Products Processing Co., Ltd., with an annual processing capacity of 5,000 tons.