Gaozhai's chili pepper boosts rural prosperity

Gaozhai township in Kaiyang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province, is buzzing with activity as farmers wrap up this year's chili pepper transplanting.

With 18 seedling greenhouses producing 3.2 million seedlings, Gaozhai has adopted a standardized "five-unified" model – cultivation, technology, management, purchasing, and sales – to cultivate 188 mu (12.53 hectares) collectively while guiding over 40 villagers to plant more than 800 mu. 

Farmers grow chili pepper in Gaozhai township, Kaiyang county. [Photo/WeChat account of Kaiyang county]

Guaranteed purchases eliminate market worries, while innovations such as drip irrigation have boosted yields. Zhou Junhua, who earned 70,000 yuan ($9,750) last year, plans to expand to 70 mu. The industry has also created jobs – 200 villagers will earn over 300,000 yuan in wages annually. Xu Yan, who works at the cultivation base, invested 10,000 yuan in a cooperative and secured 30,000 yuan in total income last year. 

Backed by a unique mixed-ownership model, Gaozhai projects have earned over five million yuan in chili pepper revenue this year, turning farmland into gold for farmers.