Wanchang Rice

Wanchang Rice

Wanchang Rice is a protected geographical indication product.

Wanchang Rice is a certified geographical indication trademark.

Wanchang Rice is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Wanchang Town in Yongji County, Jilin Province, lies at the western foot of the Changbai Mountains. Blessed with beautiful scenery, fertile black soil, and outstanding conditions for rice farming, the region's naturally pollution-free Changbai Mountain water system provides gravity-fed irrigation, producing a unique variety of late japonica green rice. The premium Wanchang series of pearl rice is made from this grain and processed using scientific techniques. Its grains are pearly white, crystal clear, and glistening like pearls. When cooked, they emit a rich aroma, have low expansion but high stickiness, and offer an excellent texture. This product has been tested by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Product Quality Supervision and Testing Center, with all indicators meeting or exceeding product standards. It contains 19 essential amino acids required by the human body, with a protein content of 12%, fat content of 2%, along with various vitamins and essential trace elements such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and selenium. It is truly a beloved and high-quality food choice for consumers.

　　Over the years, local governments have worked diligently to adjust planting structures, guiding farmers to cultivate high-quality rice. Relying on high technology and modern management practices, processing equipment has been continuously upgraded and renovated. The newly introduced Japanese Satake color sorter ensures that the product contains no off-color grains. The developed “Wanchang” brand series of premium northeastern rice was recognized as a Jilin Famous Brand Product by the Jilin Provincial People’s Government in 1998; in January 2000, it was awarded the User Satisfaction Product title by the Jilin Quality Management Association and the Jilin Users Committee; in August 2000, it received a Gold Award at the 2000 China Changchun International Agricultural and Food Expo. Since its market launch, it has enjoyed continuous strong sales. Wanchang Rice is not only popular across China but also exported to countries and regions such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, earning a high reputation both domestically and internationally.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The administrative region includes the paddy fields within the jurisdiction of Wanchang Town, Chaluhe Town, Yilaxi Town, Jinjia Township, and the Xingxingchao Reservoir Irrigation District Management Bureau under the current Xiluhe Characteristic Agricultural Economic Development Zone in Yongji County. This covers a total of 3 towns, 1 township, 1 management bureau, and 55 administrative villages. The geographical coordinates are: longitude 125°33′–126°12′, latitude 43°23′–43°52′, with an average elevation below 200 meters. The rice planting area spans 20,000 hectares, with a total yield of 180,000 tons. The specific geographical scope is: east to the border between Daiwanggou Village, Jiahezi Township, Yilaxi Town, and Jilin City; south to the southwestern slope of Huangyubei Mountain at Nianzigou Village, Jinjia Village, Jinjia Township; west to the eastern bank of Yinma River at Houyangjia Village, Xinfangzi Village, Wanchang Town; north to the border between Zhuxiagou Village, Fujia Village, Yilaxi Town, and Jiutai City.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: The paddy fields in the Xiluhe Characteristic Agricultural Economic Development Zone are distributed across the open plains at the southern end of the Songliao Plain, formed by the alluvial deposits of the Yinma River, Chaluhe River, and Aolong River within the region. The soil types include meadow soil, alluvial soil, and paddy soil, characterized by deep layers, loose texture, and fertility. The average organic matter content of the soil is ≥3.34%, total nitrogen 0.1535%, total phosphorus 0.0944%, total potassium 3.226%, and it is rich in trace elements such as silicon, zinc, iron, and selenium. The soil pH value ranges from 6.1 to 6.42.

　　(2) Hydrology: The district has seven rivers — including the Yinma River, Chaluhe River, and Aolong River — which are first-level tributaries of the Second Songhua River system. The annual average precipitation is 650–700 mm, with 595 mm falling between May and September, accounting for 80% of the annual total, amounting to 720 million cubic meters. Over the years, the average river runoff has been maintained at...

　　400 million cubic meters. The total available water resources in the region amount to 582 million cubic meters (including surface water and groundwater), ensuring abundant water supply with favorable flow directions suitable for large-scale green rice cultivation. The area houses seven large, medium, and small reservoirs, including the Xingxingchao Reservoir. As a major provincial reservoir, Xingxingchao has a catchment area of 845 square kilometers with no upstream pollution sources. It normally holds 116 million cubic meters of water, with a maximum capacity of 265 million cubic meters. The irrigation area covers 165,000 mu, flood control protection area 22,500 mu, and waterlogging control area 15,000 mu, guaranteeing irrigation water supply for the paddy fields of 55 administrative villages across 5 townships.

　　(3) Climate: Yongji County features a northern temperate continental monsoon climate. Its terrain is surrounded by mountains to the southeast and open plains to the northwest, forming a unique microclimate zone. The annual average temperature is 4.9°C, with an effective accumulated temperature of ≥10°C at 2,794°C. Annual sunshine duration ranges between 2,500 to 2,800 hours, with a sunshine rate of 65%. During the crop growth season from April to September, the sunshine duration is 1,500–1,600 hours, and the frost-free period is 138–145 days. July and August are hot and rainy, with rain and heat occurring in the same season — ideal for rice growth. From August to September, during the rice heading to maturity stage, the average temperature is 22.7°C, with large diurnal temperature variation averaging 11.4°C, facilitating nutrient accumulation in the rice. Yongji County faces fewer natural disasters such as floods and early frosts, and the cold winters reduce the threat of pests and diseases harmful to rice production.

　　(4) Humanistic History: Paddy rice cultivation in the Xiluhe Characteristic Agricultural Economic Zone of Yongji County has a history of 150 years. According to the Yongji County Annals: “During the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, this area was once a military horse pasture known as Xima Ranch. After years of reclamation, it gradually became arable land, mainly cultivating drought-resistant crops such as sorghum, barnyard grass, and japonica rice, with japonica rice being especially famous throughout the province...” Folklore says, “Chaluhe japonica rice can be boiled three times without changing flavor, and the grains remain unbroken — hence called 'Three-Water-Resistant'.”

　　In 1903 (the 29th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign), a large number of Korean farmers migrated to the areas along the Yinma, Chaluhe, and Aolong Rivers. Together with local Han, Manchu, Hui, and other ethnic groups, they utilized natural river channels to build willow bark dams, expanding the scale of paddy cultivation. In 1927 (the 16th year of the Republic of China), major local farmers such as Wang Guangshen and Liu Hui constructed a 3,000-meter-long dike, 1.5 meters high, along the eastern bank of the Yinma River and northern bank of the Chaluhe River to control flooding. They also redirected the river course and dug 2–3 km drainage ditches to manage waterlogging, converting lowland dry fields into paddy fields planted intensively. By 1944, the paddy field area had reached 143,000 mu.

　　In the 1970s, the full completion of the Xingxingchao Reservoir greatly accelerated the local rice industry’s development, expanding the paddy area to 15,000 hectares and establishing the county as a national commodity grain base. In 2003, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s China Investment and Technology Promotion Office Green Industry Committee confirmed the Yongji County Chaluhe Agricultural Economic Demonstration Zone as a Green Industry Park. In 2006, the China Green Food Development Center and China Green Food Association designated...

　　Yongji County, Jilin Province, as a “Green Agriculture Demonstration Base Construction Unit.” In 2007, the Green Food Management Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the China Green Food Development Center, approved Yongji County, Jilin Province, as a “National Standardized Production Base for Green Food Raw Materials (Rice).”

　　Through 150 years of rice-growing practice, Yongji rice farmers have developed a complete set of scientific and advanced intermittent irrigation techniques — “shallow–moisten (sun-dry)–shallow.” Yongji rice researchers have cultivated high-quality rice varieties such as “Shuangfeng No. 8,” known for their disease and cold resistance, early maturation, and high yields. Since the 1970s, these varieties have been promoted throughout the province as the preferred choice for early-maturing rice. The Jilin Provincial Local Standard “Comprehensive Cultivation Technical Regulations for Rice Pot Seedling and Sparse Planting” (DB22/T848-1996) — developed locally — has become the guiding technical standard for rice cultivation in the province. The county’s agricultural science station innovated greenhouse dry seedling techniques and tray seedling mechanical transplanting, raising the average yield per mu from 466 kg to today’s 1,000 kg. These advancements won both the National Science Commission Agricultural Technology Extension Award and provincial research achievement awards.

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Origin Selection: The production environment must comply with NY/T391-2000 “Technical Conditions for the Environment of Green Food Origins.” Soils selected are meadow soil, alluvial soil, and paddy soil. Irrigation water must meet the GB5084-92 “Standards for Farmland Irrigation Water Quality.” Ambient air quality should conform to Grade II standards outlined in GB3095-1996 “Ambient Air Quality Standards.”

　　(2) Variety Selection: Varieties selected must be certified, highly resistant, and of superior quality, either mid-to-late maturing or medium-maturing with a slight delay. Currently, widely promoted high-quality rice varieties in the county include Nongda No. 7, Jijing 88, Jijing 83, and Youyou No. 1. These varieties feature high head rice rates, low chalky grain rates, high gel consistency, and excellent taste, meeting the GB4404.1-1996 “Crop Seed Quality Standards.”

　　(3) Production Process Management, Including Special Provisions for Agricultural Inputs: Rice production primarily uses organic fertilizer supplemented by chemical fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers must be used in combination with organic fertilizers, maintaining a ratio of organic to inorganic nitrogen not exceeding 1:1, and the use of nitrate nitrogen fertilizers is prohibited. The production process must strictly follow Yongji County’s “Green Food Rice Planting Technical Procedures” and “Green Food Rice Production Operation Procedures.” The use of pesticides and fertilizers during production must comply with the “Green Food Pesticide Use Guidelines” (NT/T393-2000) and “Green Food Fertilizer Use Guidelines” (NY/T394-2000).

　　(4) Product Harvesting and Post-Harvest Processing: Harvesting occurs when over 90% of the grains have turned yellow and mature, two-thirds of the panicle rachis is yellow, and only a minimal portion of green grains remains at the base. Harvesting should take place on sunny mornings after 9 AM, using manual or mechanical methods. Post-harvest, the rice should be bundled into small sheaves for natural sun drying with regular turning. Once moisture content drops to 15%, threshing can begin. Different varieties must be harvested, threshed, and stored separately to prevent mixing. Threshing should occur on sunny days to reduce moisture, ensure purity, and improve commercial quality.

　　(5) Production Record Requirements: The entire Wanchang rice production process must maintain detailed production records, documenting farming conditions, pest and disease occurrences, technical measures, and the use of pesticides and fertilizers. These records must be properly preserved for future reference.

　　Typical Quality Characteristics and Product Quality Safety Standards

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: Wanchang Rice features uniformly shaped grains with bright white, glossy, and crystal-clear appearances. The grains are hard, short-round or oval in shape. When cooked, the rice emits a rich fragrance, with tightly structured, white, shiny grains that are smooth, sticky yet not gummy, and have a moderate hardness. The taste is sweet and fragrant, with a delicate texture. The grains can be repeatedly steamed without breaking, and leftover rice does not harden upon cooling.

　　Typical quality characteristics of the product and regulations on product quality and safety

　　(1) External sensory characteristics: Wanchang rice features uniformly shaped and neatly arranged grains with a clean, bright white color, crystal clarity, and high hardness. The grains are short-round or oval in shape. When cooked, the rice emits a rich fragrance, with tightly structured grains that are white, glossy, smooth, sticky yet not gummy, and have a moderate firmness. It boasts a sweet and fragrant taste with a delicate texture. The grains can be steamed multiple times without breaking, and leftover rice does not harden upon cooling.

　　(2) Internal Quality Indicators: The production of Wanchang Rice retains the vast majority of nutrients in the rice, avoiding significant loss of protein and vitamins. The whole milled rice rate is ≥68%, gel consistency is ≥79mm, chalky rice rate is ≤15%, amylose content is ≤15%, crude protein content is ≥6.96%, lysine content is ≥0.28%, transparency is 1, and it is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6 as well as minerals and trace elements such as calcium, iron, and selenium.

　　(3) Safety Requirements:

　　① Phosphides, hydrogen cyanide, nitrogenous bitter substances, and carbon disulfide shall comply with the relevant provisions of GB/T 5009.36.

　　② Aflatoxin B1 shall comply with the relevant provisions of GB/T 5009.22.

　　③ Mercury shall comply with the provisions of GB/T 5009-1996.

　　④ Arsenic shall comply with the provisions of GB/T 5009.11.

　　⑤ The determination of crude protein in grains shall be carried out in accordance with GB/T 5511—1985.

　　⑥ The determination of grain ash content shall be carried out in accordance with GB 48001-84.

　　⑦ The inspection of processing precision for rice and other cereals shall be carried out in accordance with GB 5502—85.

　　⑧ The determination of amylose shall be carried out in accordance with GB 8648-87.

　　⑨ Hygiene standards shall comply with GB 2715-81 and GB 2761-81.

　　5. Packaging, Labeling, and Related Provisions

　　(1) Grading: Products are divided into four grades: Grade A Green Food Rice, Grade AA Green Food Rice, Organic Rice, and Special Grade Rice.

　　(2) Packaging: Packaging materials shall meet national food packaging hygiene requirements and also comply with environmental protection standards. The sales packaging of rice shall comply with the relevant provisions of GB/T 17109. All packaging materials shall be clean, hygienic, dry, non-toxic, odorless, and meet food hygiene requirements. All packaging must be secure and leak-proof.

　　(3) Labeling: Users of the mark shall uniformly use the agricultural product geographical indication (a combined labeling format of the Wanchang Rice name and the public identification logo) on their products or packaging.

　　(4) Transportation: Transport vehicles and tools for finished products must be clean, hygienic, dry, and free from other contaminants. During transportation, finished products must be covered to protect against rain and sunlight, and it is strictly prohibited to transport them together with toxic, harmful, or odorous items.

　　(5) Storage: Finished products must not be stored in the open air. Finished product warehouses must be clean, dry, well-ventilated, and free from rodents and pests. Finished products must be stacked on pallets, at least 10 cm above the ground and 20 cm away from walls. Finished products must not be stored in the same warehouse with toxic, harmful, spoiled, odorous, or damp items. Transportation and storage processes shall comply with the provisions of NY/T 5190-2002.