Longevity vegetable boosts economic prospects of county

Situated high in the mountains of Southwest China's Chongqing, Shizhu Tujia autonomous county boasts one of the largest production bases in the world for water shield, a vegetable favored by both Chinese and Japanese for its health properties.

Over the past weekend, a delegation from Japan's Shizuoka prefecture visited the county to know about the growth patterns of the vegetable and China's rural development.

Water shield, or chuncai in Chinese, is an aquatic, perennial herb with floating leaves that grows in ponds, lakes and slow-moving streams. It normally has deep green oval leaves of approximately 6 to 10 centimeters, arranged alternately. They are covered with a gelatinous material and characterized by a unique slimy texture.

It is high in fiber and known to help in lowering fever and in strengthening weak stomachs. It is often cooked in soup or salads.

"The water shield in Shizhu, with its excellent texture, quality and freshness, provides me with a completely new dining experience compared to what I have in my own country," Kenichi Kato, leader of the Shizuoka delegation, said during his visit.

Japan is known for the highest life expectancy in the world, a fact closely tied to the dietary habits of its population. In addition to consuming large amounts of deep-sea fish, the Japanese also eat various "longevity vegetables", such as water shield.

Kato said members of his delegation were eager to gain insights into the production of water shield, as its output in Japan is low. The vegetable is a premium food in the country and is only served in fine dining restaurants.

China has a long history of cultivating water shield in a few select regions, including Chongqing and Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hubei provinces.

Chongqing's Shizhu began large-scale water shield cultivation in 11 townships in 1992. It has now emerged as a leading hub for water shield production in the world with a fully developed industry chain — enabling this delicacy to be widely available in households at home and abroad.

With a planting area of about 933 hectares and an annual production of about 14,000 metric tons, the local water shield industry's comprehensive output value reached 300 million yuan ($41.78 million) in 2023, and is expected to reach 350 million yuan this year, according to the local commission of commerce.

The niche vegetable is sold in big Chinese cities and exported to Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, with an annual export volume exceeding 10,000 tons.

Shizhu has been established as a State-level demonstration zone for the quality and safety of exported food and agricultural products, as well as an organic water shield certification demonstration zone.

Eight local water shield brands have obtained organic food certification, and five products have been selected for the national list of distinctive agricultural products.

The China (Shizhu) Water Shield Agricultural Park and Balong Water Shield Workshop are located in Balong village, in Lengshui township of Shizhu.

According to Chen Yun, the village chief of Balong, Japan was among the earliest countries to import this vegetable from the area as far back as 20 years ago.

"It is a perennial plant that requires strict environmental conditions, including clean water sources, fertile soil and no pesticides or pollution," Chen said.

Lengshui's Balong, situated in the northeastern part of the county at an altitude exceeding 1,000 meters, has an average temperature of 20 C with clean water sources, and is therefore an ideal location for cultivating water shield.