Where is red rice produced? An introduction to the main red rice producing areas in China

China is the origin of red rice, with a long history. This grain has a purplish-red outer bran layer and a red interior, is highly nutritious, and is a common crop in the south. Where are China's red rice producing areas?

1. Red rice producing areas

The main red rice producing areas in China include Panzhou in Guizhou, Yangxian in Shaanxi, Xiangzhou in Guangxi, Fuding in Fujian, Gangshan in Jiangxi, Yuanyang in Yunnan, Fangxian in Hubei, Xinhuang in Hunan, and others.

2. An introduction to red rice in China

1. Panzhou red rice, a specialty of Panxian in Guizhou Province, is a China National Geographical Indication product. Panzhou red rice is known in the market for its distinctive and unique quality characteristics: it is red, with shallow longitudinal and transverse striations, and the grain color ranges from deep pink to light pink. When steamed, it has a rich grain aroma; the cooked rice is neither sticky nor crumbly, the grains are plump and uniform, the texture is soft, it does not harden after cooling, and the grains are springy. Testing by qualified relevant departments shows that Panzhou red rice has the following quality characteristics: amylose content ≤15.0, moisture ≤13.5, protein ≥6.0, gel consistency ≥80.0. Panzhou red rice has relatively good grain quality and relatively high nutritional value.

2. Yangxian red rice, a specialty of Yangxian in Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, is a China National Geographical Indication product. Yangxian red rice has a relatively low amylose content, so it gelatinizes easily when cooked into porridge, is neither sticky nor greasy, and is refreshing and pleasant to eat. The red color of Yangxian red rice appears because red pigment (anthocyanin) is deposited in the seed coat.

3. Xiangzhou red rice, a specialty of Xiangzhou County in Laibin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is a national agricultural product geographical indication. The growing area for Xiangzhou red rice is mainly in river valley alluvial zones, where the soil is dominated by hydromorphic, gleyed, and submerged paddy soils and cultivated red soils, which favor the growth of Xiangzhou red rice. Xiangzhou red rice includes long-grain and short-grain types, with the main varieties being Kedeyou Red 33 and Hongxiang japonica. The cooked rice has a betel nut and taro aroma, moderate softness and firmness, and does not harden after cooling; when cooked into porridge, the broth is relatively thick and the grains expand greatly. Hongxiang japonica grains average 5.6 mm in length, 2.8 mm in width, and 2.0 in length-to-width ratio; the bran layer is reddish-red and the grain center is white, and the cooked rice has moderate stickiness and is slightly firm.

4. Jinggang red rice, a specialty of Jinggangshan City in Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province, is a national agricultural product geographical indication. Jinggang red rice is one of the rice varieties and is named for its dark red bran layer; it is a long-grain rice and can be cultivated and harvested even on poor soil. The “red rice and pumpkin soup” that was the staple food of the Red Army during its struggle in Jinggangshan refers to this kind of rice.

5. Xinhuang Dong-cultivated red rice, a specialty of Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County in Hunan Province, is a China National Geographical Indication product. Dong-cultivated red rice is an ancient and rare red rice bred by Xinhuang's unique geographical environment, and it is clearly different from red rice in other regions. Its grains are red but not gaudy, delicate and slender, and carry a rich, faint bean-like fragrance.

6. Cold-water red rice: its husk, unlike that of ordinary rice, is dark brown, while the grain is rouge-colored and resistant to cooking. Because it grows in high-mountain cold-water paddies at an altitude of more than 1000 m, it must be soaked before steaming; once steamed, the cooked rice is brownish-red in color, the rice porridge is bright red, the millet-like aroma is strong, and the texture is smooth and refreshing. No pesticides or chemical fertilizers may be used during cultivation, making it a purely natural, pollution-free organic rice.

7. Yuanyang terrace red rice is a specialty of Yuanyang County in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Yuanyang terrace red rice is brown rice; the grains are small, only two-thirds the size of hybrid rice, and it has the characteristics of expanding considerably when cooked, good taste, and full rice flavor. The Hani rice terrace system where Yuanyang terrace red rice grows has been listed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Ministry of Agriculture as a pilot for globally important agricultural heritage and among the first batch of China's important agricultural heritage sites.

The relatively large and famous red rice producing areas are mainly those introduced above, and some specialty red rices have also been listed for everyone, which we hope will be helpful.