This year, Dongchen town in Rugao, a county-level city of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province, has promoted the large-scale growing of vegetables such as wild rice stems, which has improved land utilization and increased the value of agricultural products.

It has also increased the incomes of farmers.

"Wild rice stems have grown well this year, with a daily harvest of nearly 10,000 kilograms. They are mainly sold to vegetable markets in Nantong, Suzhou, Shanghai, and other places," said Chen Dianhua, owner of a family farm in Nanzhuang village.

Chen has been growing wild rice stems for three years, with two harvests per year - one in mid-May to the end of June, and the other in December. The yield can reach about 4,500 kg per mu (0.067 hectares), with an output value of about 20,000 yuan ($2,764.15) per mu.

The wild rice stems also benefit nearby villagers. Zhou Mei, 58, said that workers like her harvesting wild rice stems in fields can earn about 200 yuan a day, or 4,000 to 5,000 yuan a month.

The Houfa vegetable farm in Shanhe Community adopts a greenhouse growing model, mainly growing lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and other seasonal vegetables and fruits, covering an area of more than 100 mu. It has formed a long-term and stable cooperative relationship with the vegetable market in surrounding towns.

There are more than 10 villagers working on the farm long-term, and per capita annual labor income is nearly 20,000 yuan.

A Houfa vegetable greenhouse in Shanhe community. [Photo/Nantong Daily]