Zhalantun Rice

Zhalantun Rice

Zhalantun Rice is a product with a geographical indication for agricultural products.

　　Zhalantun City has a long history of cultivating rice and sunflowers. Currently, the rice planting area is maintained at around 100,000 mu, while the sunflower planting area exceeds 600,000 mu. The city’s “Hulunbuir Rice” series products have been certified as “organic food” and “green-label rice” by the Ministry of Agriculture, and have entered major retail chains such as Walmart for centralized sales. Sunflowers have been sold to large processing enterprises in Jiangsu, Shandong, Heilongjiang, and Jilin provinces. Farmers earn approximately 220 million yuan from these two crops, with sunflower income alone reaching 180 million yuan.

　　Industry insiders say that implementing geographical indication protection for “Zhalantun Rice” and “Zhalantun Sunflowers” can not only regulate the production, processing, and marketing of rice and sunflowers in Zhalantun, protect local specialty agricultural products from counterfeit and substandard goods, and play a positive role, but also enhance the added value of agricultural products, elevate product quality, open up domestic and international markets, and lay a more solid foundation for achieving the goal of expanding and strengthening the specialty industry. More importantly, it plays a vital role in increasing farmers’ income, boosting agricultural efficiency, and developing the county’s economy.

　　Geographical Scope

　　Zhalantun City is located at the southern end of Hulunbuir City in the northeastern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Its geological structure lies on the eastern edge of the central section of the Greater Khingan Mountains uplift zone and the western side of the northern belt of the Songliao subsidence zone. The region has a relatively complete stratigraphic development, mainly comprising four types of landforms: mountains (mid-mountains and low mountains), hills, plains, and river valleys, with altitudes ranging from 240 to 1,700 meters. To the east, it borders Arong Banner along the Yinhe River; to the south, it borders Gan’nan County and Longjiang County of Heilongjiang Province, as well as Jalaid Banner, along the Jinjiehao boundary; to the west, it connects with the Xing’an League via the Hamar Mountain and Mo’ke River; to the north, it neighbors Yakeshi City along the Amuniu River. The geographical indication protection area for Zhalantun Rice as an agricultural product includes eight townships (offices): Gaotaizi Office, Genghis Khan Town, Yargenchu Office, Zhonghe Office, Samajie Ewenki Ethnic Township, Muguchi Town, Guanmenshan Office, and Sijilahuhu Office, encompassing 74 administrative villages. The protected area is located between 121°08′11″–123°47′33″ east longitude and 47°04′10″–48°06′14″ north latitude. The total production area spans 14,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 170,000 tons.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: The soils in Zhalantun City are broadly categorized into brown coniferous forest soil, dark brown soil, black soil, and dark meadow soil, with dark brown soil and dark meadow soil being the most prevalent. The soil pH ranges between 4.8 and 7.1, indicating medium fertility, with an average organic matter content of 6.54%. The average total nitrogen content is 2.18 g/kg, the available phosphorus content averages 17.4 mg/kg, and the rapidly available potassium content averages 174 mg/kg. Geologically, Zhalantun lies on the eastern edge of the central section of the Greater Khingan Mountains uplift zone and the western side of the northern belt of the Songliao subsidence zone, with a relatively complete stratigraphic development. The main landform types include mountains (mid-mountains and low mountains), hills, plains, and river valleys.

　　The soil and topography are highly suitable for rice cultivation.

　　(2) Hydrology: Zhalantun City features dense river networks and well-developed water systems, forming five major watersheds: the Yinhe, Yalu, Jiqin, Handahan, and Chao’er rivers. All belong to the right-bank tributaries of the Nenjiang River system, covering a total watershed area of 16,926.3 square kilometers. The region is rich in water resources, with an average annual total water resource volume of 2.46 billion cubic meters, including 2.413 billion cubic meters of surface runoff and 605 million cubic meters of groundwater. The abundant water supply, favorable flow direction, and absence of industrial pollution make it ideal for large-scale green rice cultivation. The water is clear and pure, serving as excellent agricultural water. Water resources are well-preserved, ensuring irrigation needs for rice production across 74 administrative villages in eight townships (offices).

　　(3) Climate: The rice-growing areas of Zhalantun are situated in a specific natural environment characterized by arid conditions, scarce rainfall, and strong evaporation, representing a typical continental arid climate. The annual total solar radiation ranges from 5,912×10⁶ to 6,001×10⁶ J/m², showing distinct seasonal variations. The annual sunshine duration ranges from 2,214 to 3,128 hours, with an average annual temperature of 8.1–9.5°C. During the rice-growing season (May–September), the monthly average temperature ranges from 16.2–18.1°C, with the hottest month (August) averaging around 28°C. The daily temperature range is significant, averaging 11–13°C. The accumulated temperature above 10°C ranges from 2,800–3,300°C. In the rice-producing areas, the first day with a stable daily average temperature of 10°C falls between May 12–20, and the last day is between October 1–5, totaling 159–162 days with minimal regional variation. The first frost occurs between September 25 and October 11, while the last frost falls between April 28 and May 9. The frost-free period for rice production ranges from 133–156 days. The annual average precipitation is around 185 mm, marked by scarce and uneven distribution. Over 65–75% of the annual rainfall occurs during the months of June, July, August, and September, with the entire rice-growing season receiving approximately 185 mm of precipitation. Irrigation using water from the Weilian, Chao’er, and Jiqin rivers is essential for rice cultivation. The average annual relative humidity in the rice-producing areas ranges from 51–58%, with higher levels in July and August (60–70%). Based on the optimal climate and ecological conditions for high-quality rice grain filling, the daily average temperature during the grain-filling stage in Zhalantun’s rice-producing areas ranges from 21–25°C, with an average sunshine duration of over 7 hours. The average daily solar radiation in July and August ranges from 14.7×10⁶ to 21.3×10⁶ J/m², with relative humidity between 60–65%. The climate and ecological environment are conducive to producing high-quality rice.

　　(4) Humanistic and Historical Background: The cultivation of rice in Zhalantun has a long history, dating back to 1908—over a century ago. Listed as one of the country’s “first batch of green agriculture demonstration zones,” Zhalantun actively develops green, efficient, and ecological agriculture thanks to its superior geographical environment. In 2005, a green rice base was established in Guanmenshan Office, far from the urban area, featuring unpolluted surroundings, lush vegetation, fertile land, abundant water resources, and a reputation as the “hometown of rice.” At the same time, grain deep-processing enterprises were introduced to invest in and build factories in the townships. In 2005, the rice produced in Guanmenshan Township passed the Ministry of Agriculture’s inspection and was awarded the “Green Food Grade A Standard Use License” by the National Green Food Development Center. This “green label” achievement in Zhalantun not only ended the city’s history of lacking green food trademarks for agricultural products but also filled the gap in Hulunbuir’s crop “green labels.” From December 1–4, 2006, the China Green Food 2006 Shanghai Expo was held at the Shanghai International Agricultural Exhibition Center, where the “Hulunbuir Rice” produced by Fengheyuan Agricultural and Livestock Products Company of Zhalantun City, Inner Mongolia, won the Best-Selling Product Award. In 2005, the company’s “Weilianhe” brand rice was rated as a National Grade A Green Food by the China Green Food Development Center, positioning the company at the forefront of green food development among its peers. In 2005, after review by the China Green Food Development Center, the “Weilianhe” brand rice produced by Zhalantun Fengheyuan Agricultural and Livestock Products Co., Ltd., was certified as green food. On June 14, 2007, the “Weilianhe” brand rice was certified as an organic product by the Beijing Zhonglv Huaxia Organic Food Certification Center.