Liu Xuesheng, vice Party secretary of Yutai county in Jining, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/dzwww.com]

By fostering brands of local agricultural products, Yutai has helped local farmers to increase their incomes and raise the county's profile in the country, said Liu Xuesheng, vice Party secretary of Yutai county in Jining, East China's Shandong province on Feb 18 during the 13th Shandong Provincial People's Congress.

The county's rice, soft-shelled turtle, crayfish and auricularia polytricha have been listed as national geographical indication protection products in recent years through implementing programs to protect and promote local agricultural products.

Liu said that, as a large, traditional agricultural county, Yutai is uniquely suited for rural revitalization. The county, which is rich in water resources that lies along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, is home to 17 rivers and 100,000 mu of ecological wetlands. It is even known as the "Land of Fish and Rice" in the north Yangtze River region.

He proposed that the province should double down on rural revitalization efforts by promoting local brands, offering benefits, and implementing favorable financial policies to support local agricultural development.

According to Liu's proposed plan, Yutai county will expand the coverage of its green rice fields to 100,000 mu this year to make room for more rice brands and will also promote the implementation of rice-shrimp share-cropping.