Wuhan emerges as China's premier chili pepper trading hub

The first chili pepper exchange in Hubei province, which has introduced 24 varieties of chili peppers from domestic and international sources, is establishing itself as a comprehensive trading center for directly sourcing chili peppers in China's central and western regions.

Located within the Hankoubei International Trade Center in Wuhan, the exchange officially commenced operations during the 2023 Wuhan (Hankoubei) commodities fair, held from Oct 30 to Nov 6.

One map at the exchange reveals that over 40 percent of the Chinese population is avid spicy food consumers. The regions of Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou are highlighted in vibrant red, signifying them as the areas with the highest spicy food consumption in China.

According to Xu Kun, general manager of the trading division of Wuhan International Trade Group, the operator of the exchange, it is equipped with professional quality inspectors capable of providing third-party evaluations of the quality of the goods.

He said that traders seeking to participate in the market must submit applications, present quality inspection certificates and undergo sample reviews. Once approved, they can proceed to quote prices for trading.