The fifth edition of the "Jiangding Cup" Tongzhou high-quality rice tasting event took place at the Nantong Weijing International Hotel in Tongzhou district, Nantong, Jiangsu province on Dec 21.

A total of 24 rice samples were submitted by 24 participating entities for evaluation. Expert rice judges, alongside public evaluators, rated the samples based on criteria such as appearance, color after cooking, and taste.

After thorough evaluation, three brands were awarded the gold medal - "Kaisha Island" from Wangjin Grain Planting Family Farm in Wujie town, "Tingchun" from Haishan Family Farm in Xiting town, and "Haochang" from Huyu Grain Planting Professional Cooperative. Additionally, six brands received silver awards, while nine were honored with excellence awards.

In recent years, Tongzhou has intensified its efforts in brand-building and the creation of sustainable, high-quality rice, advancing the full-chain development and branding of its rice industry. The region now boasts more than 24 recognized rice brands, 268 family farms engaged in rice cultivation and 610 professional cooperatives.

This year, the rice cultivation area in the district spans 365,000 mu (24,333.33 hectares), producing a total of 229,000 metric tons with an average yield of 636 kilograms per mu – an increase of seven kilograms over the previous year.

An aerial view of a rice field in Tongzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: wxtzfb]