Shanghai Daily News

Chongming County organic rice made its debut yesterday at the 2006 China Green Food Expo at Shanghai Agricultural Exhibition Center.

Shanghai Liangyu Modern Agriculture Development Co Ltd, producer of the organic grain, is aiming to grab a larger share of the rice market through targeting the growing number of health-conscious consumers.

As traditional rice growing has become an oppressive and environmentally-damaging practice, organic rice is becoming more popular globally. For sustained growth, organic farming is not an alternative to produce rice; for many, it is considered the right way.

Jinliangyu organic rice which is grown at the 667-hectare Liangyu Modern Organic Agriculture Base, the city's biggest organic plantation, is regarded as a pioneer in the field.

Wang Weidong, board director of the Shanghai Liangyu Modern Agriculture Development, said his farm in the rural county is equipped with advanced agricultural techniques and ecological concepts.

"My base is totally different from other organic farms of its kind," said the businessman. "I can say my farm is the best in the city, even in the country."

Unlike traditional methods, organic fertilizers from plants and animal are utilized in the production, making the farm more self-sufficient. Natural predators such as frogs and spiders are also used to combat pest.

In Wang's rice fields, 6,000 ducks and 40,000 frogs, instead of often-toxic chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, are in charge of eating the insects. In addition, 152 solar-powered lights which cost 912,000 yuan (US$116,327) work as pest killers during the night.

Wang explained that organic rice was superior to regular varieties and was more nutritious and tasty.

"It is high in its insolubility and is an easily digestible dietary fiber. It is grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals that are found in fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, preservatives, seed treatments, hormones and other products."

Conventional methods of growing rice which are widely employed for high crop productivity, usually cause environmental damage in soil erosion, salt accumulation and contamination of ground water, among others.

"The old way of rice growing has been a bane to both farmers and the fields. It has played a detrimental role in our environment," said Wang. "Organic farming is a promising industry which will definitely replace the old and obsolete ways."

By the end of this year the rice will be available to consumers in some supermarkets, said Hu Xinhui, manager of Liangyu Modern Agriculture. "It's the first time to launch our organic rice, so we want it to be a complete success," she said.

Despite its high price compared with rice grown in the traditional way, board director Wang remained optimistic. "Our target clients are those white-collars who care more about health. Though there is still little consumer awareness, I believe, as demands for organic rice increase as time goes by, the production cost will go down. At that time, more people will choose our rice."