Chilies in Zunyi enter harvest season. [Photo by media center of Bozhou district/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
A modern chili industry park in Xiazi town. [Photo by publicity department of Zunyi city/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
To date, the planting area in Guizhou province exceeds 332,000 hectares, accounting for approximately one-sixth of the country's chili growing area and one 10th of the world's.
More than 2.85 million farmers have benefited from the industry. Of those, more than 650,000 who had lived below the poverty line have all escaped poverty, with per capita incomes increasing by more than 2,000 yuan.
Guizhou has a three-year plan to promote the rapid development of the chili industry from through 2021. Under the plan, by next year the province's chili planting area will stabilize, with annual production of 6.5 million tons valued at 23 billion yuan. Revenues are expected to exceed 80 billion yuan.
Zhao Yandi contributed to this story.
Chili farmers happily hold up their harvested chilies in Zunyi. [Photo by media center of Bozhou district/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
If you're not yet wowed by China's chili trade, you will be.
Look no further than Zunyi, Guizhou province, where during the first half of this year Xiazi town, the country's premier distribution and trading center known as China Chili City, sold 100,000 metric tons valued at 2 billion yuan ($288 million).
As a major chili producing area, Zunyi has more than 133,000 hectares under cultivation. It boasts 120 chili cooperatives, 70 chili product processing companies, 40 chili planting companies and more than 50,000 chili farmers.
Considering the chili industry as part of its poverty alleviation and structural adjustment in agriculture, Zunyi has made great efforts to build China Chili City into the largest chili distribution and trading center in the country.
According to local officials, China Chili City's annual trade volume is expected to reach 400,000 tons, with revenues of 8 billion yuan.
Located in Xiazi town of Zunyi, Guizhou province, China Chili City is the largest chili distribution and trading center in China. [Photo by Hu Zhigang/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
