County in N China's Hebei cultivates thriving chili pepper industry

Photo shows chili peppers in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Wang Chao)

Jize county in north China's Hebei Province is known as the country's "hub of chili peppers," thanks to its signature Jize chili peppers.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), Jize chili peppers were given as imperial tributes. Today, the county processes about 450,000 tonnes of fresh chili peppers annually.

Jize chili peppers are now exported to more than 10 countries and regions, including South Korea and Japan, winning fans with their distinctive flavor and high vitamin C content.

The county cultivates more than 65,000 mu (4,333 hectares) of chili peppers throughout the year, producing nearly 200,000 tonnes of fresh peppers annually. This in turn drives more than 300,000 mu of additional pepper farming in surrounding counties, yielding over 800,000 tonnes of fresh peppers each year.

Jize now boasts 26 national patents related to chili peppers.

The county has deeply integrated chili pepper culture into its industrial development, extending the industry to include tourism, as well as cultural and creative products.

Jize chili pepper is certified as a national geographic indication product, underpinning the county's development model that integrates the chili pepper industry with the internet.

At the county's Zelong entrepreneurship incubation center, multiple livestreamers energetically promote local chili pepper products in front of their cameras, expanding the produce's reach to a wider market.

A chili pepper-themed museum offers immersive experiences of pepper culture, while picking gardens allow visitors to experience the joy of harvesting fresh peppers firsthand. Leveraging these tourism resources, Jize has energized agritainment restaurants and specialty agricultural product shops, injecting fresh momentum into rural revitalization.

Farmers harvest chili peppers in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Jize County Committee)

File photo shows farmers drying chili peppers in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Jize County Committee)

Photo shows a dish of chili peppers and fried eggs in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Tian Xingjiao)

Workers at a chili pepper processing enterprise in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Jize County Committee)

Photo shows a production line of a chili pepper processing enterprise in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Jize County Committee)

Photo shows a creative cultural product themed on the Jize chili pepper in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Jize County Committee)

Local people display freshly harvested chili peppers in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Hao Ruiying)

Livestreamers promote chili peppers during a livestream in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Tian Xingjiao)

A chili pepper-themed museum in Jize county, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo/Qin Suting)