Pepper growing spices up life in deep mountains

ADDING SPICE TO ECONOMY, LIFE

"Great potential in the demand for Sichuan pepper has revved up local growers' enthusiasm," said Chen Hongyan, head of an organization in Wudu district of Longnan that serves the trade of Sichuan pepper. In 2003, the local government designated the industry as a prime way to root out poverty, encouraging large-scale planting and bolstering infrastructure such as logistics.

More recently, powered by China's poverty alleviation efforts, the city's transport service has embraced a new round of upgrades. In 2017, a major railway connecting Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, and southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, through Longnan and multiple cities, opened for service. Couriers like SF Express have also established branches in Longnan, speeding up the delivery of goods.

Due to the leap forward in development, Kou has seen the freight transport time from his hometown to Sichuan reduced to less than five hours. Meanwhile, locally grown Sichuan pepper is of higher quality thanks to government support, and its supply is booming with more growers.

Once a local delight, now the spice has ventured abroad, gaining traction among foreign customers. Gao Zhidong, founder of another Sichuan pepper cooperative in Longnan, has not only succeeded in selling his products to hotpot heavyweight Haidilao but also tapped the German market.

When an industry offers hope, talented youths step in. Ouyang Shuzhi, a college graduate in e-commerce employed by Gao's cooperative, incorporated his expertise into their business strategies. Last year, of the cooperative's more than 30 million yuan in Sichuan pepper sales, one third came from online platforms.

"Among various Sichuan peppers of prime quality across China, those grown in Wudu District stand out due to their prominent numbing properties, thus enjoying popularity. And with top yields, we play a crucial role in leading the domestic Sichuan pepper market," said Niu Junping, deputy head of the district.

In the height of summer, clumps of ripened berries were seen hanging from shrubs in a village in Longnan. Wang Fuchao, a local villager, was weaving in and out of the branches. He had to finish picking all the berries on over 500 Sichuan pepper trees before early August.

According to Wang, Sichuan pepper could be sold at more than 120 yuan per kilogram this year, and his total income will reach at least 40,000 yuan. After the harvest, he will seek work in other places, earning more money for his family.

In Longnan, the history of cultivating Sichuan pepper dates back about 1,000 years. Now, the industry is taking on a new look. The Sichuan pepper planting area has reached 1 million mu (66,667 hectares) in Wudu district, and the industry has helped 86,000 local residents cast off poverty.

"The numbing spicy pepper has really spiced up the life of the poverty-stricken residents in rural areas," said Chen Hongyan.