Farmers reap fruits of Chinese chili seeds

In August, Wahid, a farmer in Pakistan's Pakpattan District, celebrated a bumper chili harvest. This marks the third year he has cultivated chilies using seeds and technology imported from China. "My chilies are larger than those grown by others, and my neighbours are envious," Wahid proudly shared, emphasising the exceptional quality of the Chinese chili seed varieties and the refined planting techniques that ensure a successful harvest.

This year, the Sichuan Neijiang bonded warehouse received two shipments totalling 332 tonnes of dried chilies under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Agricultural Cooperation Project. The chilies were processed for Sichuan composite condiments and Pixian douban, a fermented chili bean paste widely used in Sichuan cuisine.

Chinese enterprises are assisting Pakistani farmers in cultivating chilies and exporting the produce to China, exemplifying the flourishing agricultural cooperation between the two countries. Pepper is a traditional crop in Pakistan, but its planting area has long been scattered, with seed quality and planting technology needing improvement.

In 2021, Sichuan Litong Food Group staff visited Pakistan and noted the favourable climate conditions and cost advantages. This led to a proposal for agricultural cooperation with Pakistani farmers. Using high-quality chili seeds and advanced planting technology, the company initiated trial plantings in various regions, establishing multiple planting bases in Hyderabad, Multan, Kasur, and other locations. These efforts validated the feasibility of the planting technology, industrial model, and economic benefits.

"Modern agricultural planting is no longer just 'physical labour,' but also 'technical work'," said Zhao Jianhua, an expert on the project. He explained that from chili seedling, farmland preparation, transplanting to field management, weeding, fertilisation, and pest control, they provide full technical guidance to Pakistani farmers.