Rudong clam [Photo/WeChat account: rudongfb]

Rudong Rice was awarded the national geographic indication trademark in 2017. Since then, the rice has been sold under a unified brand and has helped farmers bring in more money.

In recent years, with help from the Rudong Rice brand, the county has managed to set up planting bases in seven towns and authorized and entrusted seven leading grain processing enterprises to collect high-quality rice from growers and process and sell the rice.

By adhering to the "company + base + agricultural cooperative" model, enterprises purchase grains at a price higher than the market value to master the first-hand high-quality grain sources.

At the same time, Rudong county has taken the initiative to build the Rudong Rice brand industrial chain, value chain and supply chain. The market price of the rice has risen rapidly, which has greatly mobilized enthusiasm among farmers to plant high-quality varieties. The rate of high-quality rice in the county has increased from 36.8 percent in 2017 to 70.7 percent at present, leading to an increase of about 700 million yuan ($109.8 million) in farmers' incomes over the past three years.

A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products as part of an effective international system backed by the World Trade Organization that have a specific place of origin and possess qualities or a reputation based on that origin.

For the past few years, Rudong county has focused on the construction of agro-product brands, and with its unique advantages in geography and resources, it has created a slew of GI products. Rudong is currently home to more than 10 GI products, including Rudong edible red algae (porphyra yezoensis) and Rudong Ranghe, an edible plant species with high medical value.