Brown Sugar Paves a "Sweet" Path to Prosperity in Ningyuan

With the gentle breeze of early winter and the fragrance of sugarcane pervading the village, a sugar-making workshop in Xiazhuang Village, Lixi Town, Ningyuan County, Yongzhou, is bustling with activity. With blazing stoves and rising steam, villagers are busy with their respective tasks in an orderly manner. The year's most bustling "sweet campaign" has begun.

A worker is boiling sugarcane juice to make brown sugar. (Photo/Fan Jiangxizi, China National Radio)

In the brown sugar processing workshop, Chen Peng was boiling the first batch of brown sugar of the year. First, he harvested sugarcane from the field, washed it clean, and extracted juice from it. Then he poured the juice into large woks and simmered for three to four hours. During the boiling process, he stirred constantly to evaporate the water until the mixture turned into a thick, reddish-brown syrup, which was then ready to be taken out of the wok.

Chen Peng explained that the brown sugar boiling started on November 7 and would continue until the New Year. The daily production could reach about 250 to 300 kg.

Chen Peng is a representative inheritor of the brown sugar making craft, with over ten years of experience. He knows every step inside and out. Thanks to recommendations from customers and friends, he has built up a stable clientele. His brown sugar is mainly sold to the county town, Guangdong, Yunnan, and other places, at an average price of about 25 yuan per 500g. The brown sugar is handmade using an ancient traditional method, free of any additives, making it safe for both the elderly and children.

The brown sugar produced by this traditional craft is not only richly aromatic but also delicate and melts in the mouth. Every year during the sugar-making season, many tourists and merchants come to buy it, and the supply often falls short of demand.

"Every year around the Lidong solar term, or Beginning of Winter, I come to Xiazhuang Village to purchase the brown sugar. The sugarcane he uses is not the ordinary green-skinned hybrid variety but an old local variety that has been passed down. The brown sugar made from this kind of sugarcane is far superior in aroma, texture, and even its medicinal properties. This is our fourth year working together. As an intangible cultural heritage product of Ningyuan County, after we brought it to the market in recent years, it has received wide praise and enjoys a very high repurchase rate. His order volume here is about 15,000 kg a year," merchant Qiu Jing said happily.

Brown sugar is rich in various minerals and vitamins. With its sweet, soft, and delicate texture, it  is a favorite among children and an excellent nourishing product for women. In recent years, Lixi Town in Ningyuan County has leveraged its local soil and climate advantages to vigorously develop sugarcane cultivation and brown sugar production, forging a "sweet" path to prosperity led by the sugarcane industry.

Xia Shuai, deputy head of Lixi Town, Ningyuan County, said that the town will continue to focus on the goals of increasing agricultural efficiency, raising farmers' incomes, and promoting rural development. Plans include expanding the planting scale, introducing new varieties to increase sugarcane yield, applying for a trademark for the brown sugar, and enhancing the product's visibility through multiple channels and comprehensive efforts. By leveraging brand influence to boost market competitiveness, the town ultimately aims to significantly increase the villagers' income and ensure that the fruits of development benefit more people.

Chinese source: Voice of Hunan