Photo shows white geese in Yi'an county, Qiqihar city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)
In recent years, a white-goose industry has continued to prosper in Yi'an county, Qiqihar city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.
Dubbed as the "hometown of white goose," the county boasts natural pastures, a favorable climate and a long history of raising goose. According to relevant officials at the local bureau of agriculture and rural affairs, the county has worked to establish an industrial chain that encompasses breeding, cultivation, processing and sales.
In 2022, the output value of the whole industrial chain stood at 1 billion yuan (about $145.8 million). The county is home to 335,000 male geese used for breeding and four hatchery plants where over 5 million eggs can be hatched per year. The county is capable of cultivating 3.1 million geese, slaughtering and processing 10 million geese a year. The annual feather production of the county is around 7.8 million tonnes, while down production is approximately 1.3 million tonnes.
The county received national funding support worth 16.5 million yuan for developing its white-goose industry, and has rolled out favorable policies for goose farmers such as free vaccines and subsidies. It also joined hands with the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences to develop an institute for the goose industry in colder regions to provide more technical support and professional services. The local tax department has also offered more targeted services to goose farmers to encourage the development of the industry.
