A view of Hefu town in Huzhou's Nanxun district. [Photo/WeChat account: huzhoufabu]

Three towns in Huzhou in East China's Zhejiang province have recently been listed among the first batch of national strong agricultural towns. The announcement was jointly made by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Finance. 

Among the selected towns is Xinshi town, located in Huzhou's Deqing county. The town is notable for its large annual grain and oil planting area, covering over 30,000 mu (2,000 hectares). Xinshi has successfully developed a comprehensive industrial chain that integrates production, processing, and marketing related to oil and grain. The town is home to 33 grain and oil production and operation entities, including a national leading agricultural enterprise, a provincial leading agricultural enterprise, and 11 leading agricultural enterprises at the county level.

Another town on the list is Lushan township in Changxing county. Huzhou sheep, which have been being bred in the town for over 1,000 years, are a local variety known for their high fertility and low breeding costs. The town has received numerous honorary titles, such as the "Hometown of Chinese Huzhou Sheep". Huzhou sheep from Lushan have also been recognized among the top 10 most charming agricultural products in the country.

Hefu town, located in Huzhou's Nanxun district, is the third town to be recognized for its achievements in agricultural development. The town has experienced remarkable growth in the silver carp industry. The total output value of the silver carp industry chain increased from 720 million yuan ($98.69 million) in 2020 to 1.11 billion yuan in 2022, accounting for approximately 91.3 percent of the total agricultural output value in the town. The silver carp industry has become a strong driver of the town's economy.