Funing Rice

Funing Rice

Funing Rice is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Geographical Scope

　　　Located in the central part of the Jianghuai Plain, between 119°27′ and 119°58′ east longitude, and 33°26′ and 33°59′ north latitude, it includes 20 towns and 1 development zone under the jurisdiction of Funing County: Funing Town, Yilin Town, Donggou Town, Goudun Town, Xingou Town, Wutan Town, Guhe Town, Chenliang Town, Heli Town, Shuoji Town, Luqiao Town, Sanzao Town, Chenji Town, Guoshu Town, Lupu Town, Gongxing Town, Yangji Town, and the Development Zone.

　　Unique Qualities

　　　　The Li-Xia River Plain is one of the few high-quality commercial grain production bases in China. Due to its distance from the coast of the Yellow Sea, Funing Rice is superior to coastal rice with higher salinity and alkalinity. The cooked grains of Funing Rice are crystal clear, soft in texture, and can be considered top-tier among rice varieties. Funing Rice enjoys an excellent reputation in cities across the Yangtze River Delta such as Shanghai and Suzhou.

　　Cultural Background

　　　　According to the Yancheng City Grain Chronicles, as early as the Qin Dynasty, the people of Funing County were trading rice with other regions. During the Tang Dynasty, rice trade was active. By the Qing Dynasty, rice businesses flourished, distributing rice via Shanghai, Qingdao, and other ports to countries such as Europe, America, Japan, and the Soviet Union, making the rice market prosperous. In the late 1950s, the county achieved large-scale success in converting dry land to paddy fields. By the 1970s, rice had become the most widely planted crop and the dominant agricultural industry in the county, with the rice planting area consistently maintained at over 800,000 mu in recent four years. In normal years, the total rice output reached around 900 million jin, ranking first among the nine counties in Yancheng City and within the top ten in Jiangsu Province. The county has been awarded titles such as "National Advanced County in Grain Production" and "National Commercial Grain Base County." In 2005, the county’s total grain output was 1.277 billion jin, ranking 91st among the top 100 grain-producing counties in China. The high quality of Funing Rice mainly benefits from three factors. First, the unique climate environment. The county has a maritime humid climate, with slow warming in spring and summer, resulting in a long early growth period for rice. The frequent interaction of cold and warm air in summer leads to frequent night thunderstorms, which are beneficial to rice growth. Meanwhile, the abundant sunlight and high evaporation in September and October help accumulate sugar and dry matter. Second, rich water and soil resources. The county is part of the Huang-Huai alluvial and marine sedimentary plain, characterized by alkaline soil with good water retention and air permeability, and rich potassium content, making it especially suitable for rice cultivation. Third, advanced planting techniques. In recent years, the county has vigorously selected and planted high-quality japonica rice varieties such as Wuyujing, and actively promoted advanced planting models. Currently, there are 200,000 mu of “green manure + rice” fields and 250,000 mu of “fish/crab farming + rice” fields, with contiguous pollution-free planting areas accounting for 70%. Moreover, the ecological environment quality within the county is good, with surface water meeting the national Class III standard. Six high-quality pollution-free rice production bases, each covering 5,000 mu, have been established. The “Funing Rice” premium rice brand passed the inspection of the China Green Food Development Center in early 2006 and obtained the national green food certification.