Spicy peppers bring prosperity to Shandong village

Yanggu county's chili pepper cultivation, known for its large planting area, high yield, and excellent quality. [Photo by Wang Shupeng for chinadaily.com.cn]

Wangshenlou village in Litai town, Yanggu county, Shandong province, has developed a lucrative chili pepper industry that leverages the region's fertile land and favorable climate.

Wang Wenfeng, a villager, said he has earned over 60,000 yuan ($8,398.38) in profits - more than double what he earns from wheat and corn farming - just by selling peppers this year.

Yanggu county has a long history of chili pepper cultivation and is well-known for its large planting area, high yield, and excellent quality. The Xianyun Cooperative in the county's Gaomiaowang town, which is close to Wangshenlou village, has even created a famous brand.

To boost agricultural incomes, the Party branch in Wangshenlou village had established a cooperative and guided villagers in chili pepper cultivation. "Through cooperation and collective development, the chili pepper cultivation has thrived over the past two years, increasing farmers' income and production," said Wang Quanlong, secretary of the Party branch.

Another farmer Wang Yuhuai said he is grateful for the support received. "The Party branch promoted land circulation, mobilized investment, and collaborated with agricultural technology companies. This integrated approach has been key to our chili pepper industry's growth."

According to Li Cong, deputy secretary of the Litai Town Party Committee, Wangshenlou village has been transformed from a poor village into a thriving settlement that now distributes over 200,000 yuan in dividends annually. In 2023, the village successfully applied to become a municipal-level modern agricultural industrial park, and this has stimulated chili pepper cultivation in surrounding villages.

The chili pepper industry's momentum is driving the development of the collective economy and increasing people's income. "We will continue to promote the chili pepper industry, extend the agricultural industry chain, create a prosperous life for farmers, and contribute to rural vitalization," said Zhu Ming, secretary of the Litai Town Party Committee. (Edited by Jiang Ting)