Longjiang Millet

Longjiang Millet

Longjiang millet is a product with a geographical indication.

　　Longjiang millet has long been renowned, with a history of millet cultivation that dates back many years. Historical records indicate that between 1927 and 1929, the average annual planting area of millet had already reached 500,000 mu. With the introduction of new technologies, Longjiang County has become a distribution hub for miscellaneous grain production and sales in western Heilongjiang Province, one of China’s top 100 grain-producing counties, and has established a national standardized production base for green food ingredients including miscellaneous grains, corn, and sunflowers. Millet has always been favored by the people of Longjiang and has long been one of their staple foods. Today, Longjiang millet has expanded beyond Heilongjiang and gained popularity among residents in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. In particular, at the National Expo on Agricultural Products for Desertification Control, Longjiang millet received praise from then-Premier [name redacted], while Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang also spoke highly of it. It has also earned accolades from provincial and municipal leaders at various exhibitions in Heilongjiang. Since 2002, Longjiang millet has won multiple awards at the China (Qiqihar) Green Food Expo, including prizes for best-selling products and packaging innovation, earning recognition from both local residents and out-of-town distributors.

　　Longjiang County is located in western Heilongjiang Province, situated in the transitional zone between the Greater Khingan Mountains and the Songnen Plain. Covering an area of 6,174 square kilometers, it borders forested regions and lies adjacent to the Halahai Wetland and Zhalong Nature Reserve. The county boasts abundant resources, lush forests and grasslands, fertile soil, clean water, and fresh air—natural conditions that are highly conducive to the production of green food. The Longjiang County Party Committee and County Government place great emphasis on developing the green food industry. To date, they have established 1.52 million mu of green food crop production bases, including 1 million mu of nationally standardized production bases for green food ingredients, yielding 600,000 tons of green food ingredients annually. Longjiang millet is rich in protein, amino acids, vitamins, and essential minerals such as selenium and iron. It is known for being nutritionally comprehensive, fragrant, flavorful, good-tasting, and attractively colored, making it an ideal nutritional choice for the elderly, young children, and pregnant women.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Longjiang County is located in western Heilongjiang Province, in the transitional zone between the Greater Khingan Mountains and the Songnen Plain, spanning longitude 122°24′28″ to 123°37′19″ and latitude 46°23′21″ to 47°40′27″. It borders Qiqihar City, Meilisi District, Fularji District, and Tailai County to the east, neighbors Gan nan County and Nianzishan District to the north, and is surrounded by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the west and south. The county covers an area of 6,174 square kilometers, with an average elevation of 148 meters. It comprises five towns and nine townships, encompassing 158 administrative villages, and has 5.14 million mu of arable land. The designated protected production area for Longjiang millet with geographical indication status includes Halahai Township, Qikeshu Town, Luhe Township, Longxing Town, Jiqinhe Township, Shanquan Town, Longjiang Town, Xingshan Township, and Jingxing Town, covering a total area of 227,000 hectares, with an actual production area of 20,000 hectares. The annual total output of Longjiang millet is 45,000 tons.