Peppercorns fuel Lugao's prosperity

Farmers in the mountainous township of Lugao in Jinyang county, Sichuan province, reaped unprecedented economic rewards last year with their signature green peppercorns debuting on European dining tables.

In 2025, a total of 13.6 metric tons of dried green Sichuan peppercorns were exported from the township to the European Union at a price of $18 per kilogram.

"That price is 5 to 6 yuan (72-86 cents) higher than the local market rate, increasing the average income of farming households by 2,500 yuan," said Huang Tianyin, head of Lugao.

Jinyang is known as China's top county for green Sichuan pepper production. They are prized for their large size, authentic numbing flavor and rich aroma, making them an essential seasoning for pickled vegetables, hotpot and Sichuan cuisine.

The product is officially recognized as both a national protected eco-origin product and a national geographical indication product.

The county boasts over 68,000 hectares of green Sichuan pepper fields, with an annual output of 17,327 tons and a comprehensive output value of 1.2 billion yuan, according to Deng Min, deputy county head of Jinyang.

In Lugao, the county's core production area, the crop is grown across 4,000 hectares, generating 83.6 percent of the township's total agricultural output value. The local trading market sees an annual transaction volume of over 5,000 tons, with turnover exceeding 200 million yuan.

In 2025, the industry boosted the average income of more than 3,700 local pepper-farming households by 19,000 yuan, according to Huang.

Despite its challenging terrain of high mountains, steep slopes and deep valleys, Huang said Lugao has leveraged its natural advantages — ample sunshine, suitable soil and climate in the dry-hot valley of the Jinsha River — to develop a thriving forestry economy.

To boost quality and yield, the township has upgraded irrigation facilities, conducted training on standardized planting techniques and established demonstration planting bases. Since 2021, it has built five standardized demonstration planting bases, including a 44-hectare base dedicated to exports.

"To access the EU market, we had to meet a series of stringent requirements for agricultural products," said Li Wenchun, deputy director of Jinyang's agriculture office.

"Every step — from pruning and fertilizing to pest control and weeding — adheres to strict standards under unified guidance, to ensure the peppercorns' quality. No pesticides or chemical herbicides are allowed. Farmers use only organic fertilizers and rely primarily on manual weeding."

Bolstered by its successful initial export experience with the EU, Jinyang plans to further expand its international footprint this year.

"By establishing a standardized full-chain management system from cultivation to export, we will further tap into the EU market," Li said, adding that the county will add another 67 hectares of export-oriented planting bases this year.