Rice noodle industry sees rapid growth in S China's Guangxi

South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is the leading consumer and producer of rice noodles in China, accounting for over 50 percent of the country's rice noodle production.

The tradition of rice noodle production and consumption in Guangxi dates back to the Qin Dynasty (221 B.C.-207 B.C.) and reached peak popularity during the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties.

Photo shows a bowl of Luosifen, or river snail rice noodles, a specialty dish from South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Commerce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region)

Initially, Luosifen, or river snail rice noodles, was a local specialty found only in street stalls and night markets in Liuzhou city, Guangxi. It was relatively unknown outside the region.

Liuzhou, an industrial city, has adopted various measures to foster the development and expansion of the Luosifen industry. These initiatives include establishing a comprehensive and standardized industrial chain system and recognizing Luosifen as a product with a geographical indication.

In 2023, the sales revenue of Liuzhou's Luosifen sector reached 66.99 billion yuan ($9.3 billion), marking an 11.5 percent increase from the previous year. Notably, physical stores selling Luosifen saw rapid growth, with a 28.4 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Liuzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce.

Customs data shows that from January to December 2023, the export value of Liuzhou Luosifen reached approximately 101.25 million yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 38.2 percent.

Photo shows packaged Laoyou rice noodles. (Photo courtesy of the Department of Commerce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region)

Guilin rice noodles, the most iconic local specialty of Guangxi, have been recognized by CNN as a dish capable of evoking nostalgia. However, due to a lack of preservation techniques for wet rice noodles, Guilin rice noodles were not available outside the region for a long time.

In recent years, Guilin has implemented over 10 local standards and developed technologies for preserving wet rice noodles. Consequently, pre-packaged Guilin rice noodles are now sold nationwide and exported to countries such as the U.S. and Canada.

Today, the Guilin rice noodle industry is witnessing significant growth, with the establishment of a comprehensive system that covers production, processing, distribution, and sales. The industry's annual total output value has reached approximately 10 billion yuan.

According to the Guilin Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, there are currently over 8,000 rice noodle restaurants in Guilin, which include more than 400 chain stores.

Photo shows a bowl of seafood rice noodles in Guilin, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Huang Xian)

In Guangxi's coastal cities such as Qinzhou, Beihai, and Fangchenggang, local seafood rice noodle dishes have been developed, leveraging local resources. Fangchenggang, in particular, is home to around 3,000 shops that sell seafood rice noodles, contributing to a well-coordinated online and offline industry chain.

In September 2021, Fangchenggang established a dedicated team to further develop the seafood rice noodle industry.

Within just three months, the city successfully developed its first packaged seafood rice noodles, opened a dedicated store, obtained a food production license for this delicacy, and secured approval for its safety standards.

Today, the city's pre-packaged seafood rice noodle products have become popular and are selling well in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

Guangxi has introduced an implementation plan aimed at accelerating the high-quality development of the Luosifen and rice noodle industry in the region. This plan aims to surpass 100 billion yuan in sales revenue for the rice noodle industry by 2025.