Heilongjiang leverages black soil culture

As the country's "granary", Northeast China's Heilongjiang province has continuously produced high-quality grains, laying a solid foundation for national food security.

In recent years, the province has actively explored new paths for agricultural transformation and upgrading as consumers begin to place greater importance on food traceability, production involvement and rural cultural experiences.

The province is vigorously developing customized agricultural models such as paddy field adoption and exclusive order-based planting, shifting consumer demand to the forefront of field production and giving end-users a more personal, hands-on experience with the staple grain.

By integrating immersive cultural and tourism scenarios like paddy field sightseeing, agricultural study tours and intangible cultural heritage harvest festivals, the strategy marks a shift in the rice cultivation sector from merely selling products to selling experiences and culture.

In Wuchang, Harbin, through its rice field adoption and custom farming programs, Qiaofu Dayuan Agricultural Co Ltd draws on the city's intangible cultural heritage of agricultural festivals, creating an immersive rice farming study system, said Wang Dan, administrative manager of the company.

The company manages 250,000 mu (16,667 hectares) of rice fields at the core production area of Wuchang rice, which is famous for its unique flavor and texture, and is grown in traditional Northeast China black soil known for its highly fertile characteristics.

The company has innovatively introduced a personalized model based on square meters, launching an annual family package for 100-sq m rice paddies, offering services including freshly milled rice delivery and farming experiences, Wang said.

In 2026, the company achieved high-end rice field adoption of 3,333 hectares, with contracted sales of 195 million yuan ($29 million), and group client customization of 8,666 hectares, with contracted sales of 890 million yuan.

Through standardized planting, diversified customization and full-chain services, the company continues to enhance the golden brand of customized agriculture centered on Wuchang rice.

Lots of adoption clients have visited their adopted rice fields to participate in festival activities and experience the joys and challenges of harvesting.

The park is equipped with a rice culture museum, sightseeing trails, specialty homestays and rice field photo spots, transforming rice production into a new agricultural, cultural and tourism business model integrating sightseeing, study, experience, aesthetics and consumption.

For 11 consecutive years, the company has held agricultural festivals such as the Rice Planting Festival, Rice Flower Festival and Rice Harvest Festival.

In 2024, the company established the Rice Countryside Town Study Base, creating a comprehensive study project integrating rice science popularization, farming practices and cultural experiences.

The study courses cover visits to the rice culture museum, rice growth science education, hands-on farming experiences like planting and harvesting, rice processing observation and understanding the rice-duck symbiosis ecosystem.

Visitors can enter the fields to experience farming and harvesting, to understand "every grain comes from hard work", while learning about the historical origins of Wuchang rice and the mystique of black soil farming culture.