HARBIN, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Though harvest remains more than three weeks away in the golden rice fields of Heilongjiang, China's top grain-producing province, most of this season's crop has already found a buyer.
For decades, the routine was simple: consumers bought whatever was planted. Now, a growing number of enterprises are securing orders even before a single seed is sown.
As China's top grain-producing province for 16 consecutive years, Heilongjiang is advancing into a new era of demand‑driven, custom‑tailored farming.
CUSTOMIZED GRAINS
In the fields of Qiaofu Dayuan Agricultural Co., Ltd. in Wuchang, a renowned rice-growing area in the province, each plot designated for customized orders bears a marker with the client's name.
From paddy to plate, customers can follow their rice at every major stage of production through video check-ins and a traceability system.
"Previously, we mainly offered customized plots measured by mu," said Qiao Wenzhi, head of Qiaofu Dayuan. One mu, roughly 667 square meters, produces about 300 kg of rice, which is far more than an ordinary family needs in a year. "Too much rice is hard for a household to consume."
Last year, the company redesigned its offering around a smaller unit: one square meter produces roughly half a kilogram of rice. Consumers can choose plots that better match their needs.
On the production side, the model is equally flexible, tailored to meet different consumer preferences. Wang Huixian, vice president of Qiaofu Dayuan, said consumers can choose from green, organic or ecological planting standards, and the company organizes production accordingly.
The model has grown quickly: the enterprise, a flagship company in high-quality rice production, has about 180,000 mu under customized contracts, with sales exceeding 1 billion yuan (about 147.52 million U.S. dollars).
The trend extends well beyond rice. Heilongjiang Heliang Agriculture Co., Ltd., a company offering diversified products, for example, has expanded customization to grains and beans.
"People's health awareness is growing, and consumption patterns are changing. Many customers want personalized services," said Liu Dandan, deputy general manager of Heliang, noting that in the first half of 2026, its customized agriculture sales exceeded 70 million yuan.
"Developing customized agriculture is an effective way to make use of Heilongjiang's resources and push the transformation of the province's grain and bean industry," Liu added.
DIVERSIFIED CUSTOMIZED FARMING
Customized farming has also expanded to vegetables and fruits. In Rendong Village of Dongfeng Township, rows of tomatoes hang heavy on the vines, and long eggplants gleam under the early-autumn sun.
"The vegetables in this field are grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and the entire plot was custom-ordered before spring planting," said Yang Meng, an official with the township. "The momentum for customized farming in the village is very strong."
The vegetable field is divided by stone paths into neat squares, each about 50 square meters. Visitors move between the rows, picking produce for themselves. For 500 yuan, a consumer can customize an entire year's harvest from a single square.
"Less than one hectare of land has generated more than 80,000 yuan in revenue this year, two to three times what corn planting would bring in," Yang said.
In the village's greenhouses, the last batch of cherries was picked not long ago. Of the 1,730 cherry trees in the village, about 300 have been adopted by customers, with discounts for multi-year commitments and full harvest.
MORE SCENARIOS, MORE INCOME
Customized farming is also creating new consumption scenarios and new sources of income.
At the Tonghe branch of Shiyue Daotian Group Co., Ltd., Zhang Shuang, a worker at the rice-polishing workshop, farms during the busy season and works at the company during the off-season, earning an extra 100,000 yuan a year.
"The group regularly shares knowledge about food security and scientific farming methods, which I can apply to my own fields," Zhang said. He and most of the villagers sell their grain to the company. "We don't have to worry about sales."
Zhao Shulan, general manager of the group's Wuchang branch, told Xinhua that customized farming is reshaping how food is sold and how enterprises operate.
"From spring seed selection and fertilization to field cultivation and management, farmers under contract receive expert guidance to ensure unified standards and quality," Zhao said.
The model also mixes agriculture with tourism. Consumers who adopt a plot are invited to visit during key moments, such as rice-flower blooming or harvest, to experience farming firsthand or participate in study tours. The harvested rice is then delivered in batches according to each family's needs.
"Premium rice isn't just about taste. It is about the experience," said Qiao, adding that by combining product customization with experiential value, the premium for their rice has risen by up to 40 percent.
Liu said Heliang has designed spring-plowing and harvest festivals, large-scale rice paddy art, as well as study tours and family activities, allowing consumers to experience farming culture and rural life firsthand and adding emotional and cultural value to agricultural products.
As one of the key endeavors to ensure consecutive high yields and enhance agricultural returns, Heilongjiang's customized farming is scaling rapidly.
In the first half of 2026, the province had 445 customized agriculture operators, with 1.799 million mu of customized planting bases, and contracted sales reached 5.55 billion yuan, up 85 percent year on year.
To boost high‑quality growth in this sector, Heilongjiang released a three‑year action plan (2025‑2027) to support the industry through improved standards, regulation and services. ■
