Chili night market thrives in Ning’er county

The night market in Babian village of Mohei town in Yunnan’s Ning'er county, is not about snacks and receives no diners. However, the hustle and bustle fill the air. Everyone gathers for tiny chilies, creating a unique night market."

As the night falls, villagers on motorcycles or trucks arrive with the day's harvest. These include local chilies from Babian village, as well as those from other villages in Ning'er county and even from neighboring Mojiang county.

The sounds of vehicles and people intertwine, creating a bustling scene on the street. Less than one kilometer long, the market is illuminated by various lights such as street lamps, car lights.

"A buyer said he would like to offer 14 yuan per kilogram for the chili. We don't want to sell yet. Let's see later." During conversations with chili growers like Su Zhengfa from Tongguan town in Mojiang county and other villagers, they expressed no urgency to sell and were expecting better prices later.

Growers are often confidently waiting for better prices and a dozen eager buyers are waiting for the right time. The prices offered by the buyers also vary. Due to market fluctuations, the daily trading prices at the village can only be determined when the market opens.

"I came from Kunming to purchase chili today. I have bought three or four tons already, with prices ranging from 13 to 15 yuan per kilogram,” said Yang Bin, one of the buyers. “The prices depend on the size and color of the chili, but in general, the chili price will be rising."

Most buyers have a planned purchase quantity for each day. Once they’ve got enough chili, the prices will fall. Growers must seize the opportunity to sell their chili in a timely manner to maximize the day's earnings.

"I sold 90 kilograms of chili at 15 yuan per kilogram, earning 1,350 yuan in total. It's a good harvest." said villager Ma Kaiyun.

At the end of the day's transactions, buyers still need to sort, pack, and refrigerate the chili according to market demand. Some will be sold to other provinces like Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The market is increasingly becoming a regional chili distribution center, local increasing farmers' income.

According to statistics, Ning'er planted 8,837 Chinese acres of chili, in the 2023 planting season. With an average yield of 1 ton per acre, the county is expected to earn nearly 90 million yuan from chili.

Source: China Daily; trans-editing by Wang Yunya