Chinese enterprises are assisting Pakistani farmers in cultivating chilies and exporting the locally produced chilies to China, Gwadar Pro reported on Friday.
Meanwhile, more Pakistani chili farmers are currently engaged in contract farming cooperation with China.
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 neighbors are envious, Wahid proudly shared. He emphasized that the Chinese chili seed varieties are exceptional, and the planting techniques are more refined and efficient, ensuring a successful chili harvest.
This year, Sichuan Neijiang bonded warehouse has successively received two shipments totaling 332 tons of dried chilies under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Agricultural Cooperation Project.
The chilies were promptly processed, with one portion used for producing Sichuan composite condiments and the other for processing Pixian douban, a fermented chili bean paste widely used in Sichuan cuisine.
This partnership exemplifies the flourishing agricultural cooperation between China and Pakistan.
Pepper is a traditional crop in Pakistan, but for a long time, its planting area has been scattered, and the seed quality and planting technology level need improvement.
In 2021, Sichuan Litong Food Group sent staff to Pakistan for investigation. The local favorable climate conditions and cost advantages prompted Litong to propose agricultural cooperation with Pakistani farmers.
With high-quality chili seeds and advanced planting technology, the company has initiated trial planting in various regions of Pakistan.
It has established multiple planting bases in Hyderabad, Multan, Kasur, and other locations to validate the feasibility of the planting technology, industrial model, and economic benefits.
“Modern agricultural planting is no longer just ‘physical labor’, but also ‘technical work’,” said Zhao Jianhua, an expert of the project.
According to him, from chili seedling, farmland preparation, transplanting to field management, weeding, and fertilization, pest control, they provide full technical guidance to Pakistani farmers who have signed up for planting to ensure that chili yield and quality meet export standards.
Under the contract farming model, the company buys back the harvested chilies, which not only promotes the quality of agricultural products but also protects the interests of local farmers.
