Panjin is known across China for two agricultural products grown in the saline marshland soils of the delta: Panjin rice and Panjin river crab. The rice, grown in the same waterlogged fields as the seepweed, has a particular glutinous texture and sweetness that locals attribute to the specific mineral composition of the soil. The river crabs, fattened in the estuary waterways, are a seasonal delicacy best in autumn — the same weeks as peak Red Beach colour.
Restaurants in the city centre serve both, often together. The combination of crab and local rice is the standard local meal and is considerably cheaper in Panjin than in Shenyang or Dalian.