Xinghua Yihe Yidou Agricultural Development Co Ltd conducts an educational outing for locals. [Photo/article.xuexi.cn]
Diversified industrial group Xinghua Yihe Yidou Agricultural Development Co Ltd – based in Zhongbao town in Xinghua city, in East China's Jiangsu province – has recently undertaken a range of measures to boost the rice industry there.
The company has been buying rice in large quantities, which is then processed by a local company called Longshang.
Some of the processed rice is being used in gift packs and sold to customers under Yihe Yidou's "88 Warehouse" brand, while other rice is processed and used in food substitutes, pastries, rice wine and in other food products for sale.
In December 2019, Zhongbao town got Xinghua Yihe Yidou Agricultural Development Co Ltd to take up reclaimed land along Dazong Lake to build a green rice production demonstration base.
The company has also worked with Yangzhou University to help introduce the planting of five different colors of rice. The dietary fiber and nutrient content of black, red, green, purple rice and yellow rice is said to be higher than that of ordinary rice.
To encourage more local farmers to take up rice planting, the company purchase rice at a price of about 0.2 yuan ($0.03) per kilogram above the going market price.
Under the guidance of the company, Zhongbao town has built a provincial modern agricultural park, a provincial green agricultural product demonstration base and a provincial demonstration base – in order to promote its modern agricultural industry system, among other things.
In 2023, the company and Zhongbao town also built a cultural park, with designated areas for agriculture, interactive exhibitions, amusement activities, and orchards.