Qitai Sipingtou Chili

Qitai Sipingtou Chili

Qitai Sipingtou Chili is a product with geographical indication.

　　According to historical records, the Qitai Sipingtou chili was introduced to regions such as Xinjiang, Gansu, and Shaanxi from West Asia via the Silk Road, and was first cultivated in the northwest. Initially, it was grown merely as an ornamental crop and for medicinal use. In the Ming Dynasty, Gao Lian wrote in "Zunsheng Bajian" (1591): “The foreign pepper grows in clusters, with white flowers; its fruit resembles the tip of a bald brush, is red in color, and tastes spicy, quite an impressive sight.” By the Qing Dynasty, people began to consume chilies. The northwest region has harsh winters, and the spiciness of chilies helps invigorate internal heat, providing both stimulation and warmth. It also aids digestion and warms the stomach. Therefore, by the late Qing Dynasty, chili consumption became widespread, leading to large-scale cultivation, mainly in Xiaotun Village, Toutun Village, and Caiyuanzi in Xibeiwan Township. At that time, winter vegetables were scarce, so people preserved chilies by salting them in brine or drying them for use in winter. By the 1990s, the Sipingtou chili had developed its distinctive qualities through natural evolution and long-term cultivation by local farmers, covering a planting area of about ten thousand mu. Integrated production and sales orders became the norm. Qitai Sipingtou chilies gained national renown for their unique quality. Locally produced Sipingtou chilies are rich in nutrients, high in quality, and have an excellent taste, making them very popular among consumers. Each spring and autumn, major food companies from other regions come to Qitai to sign planting contracts and purchase chilies. Most of the chilies are processed into chili pigments, chili powder, chili strips, and chili sauce, which are then sold across China as well as to developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, the United States, and Europe. Every year, Qingdao Hanmixiao Food Company signs contracts to purchase thousands of tons of dried chilies, while Urumqi’s Beiyuanchun market and some Central Asian countries sign contracts for tens of thousands of tons of fresh chilies. Qitai Sipingtou chilies have consistently held a major share in the wholesale market at Urumqi’s Beiyuanchun market.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Qitai County is located within the Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The protected geographic area for the Qitai Sipingtou Chili agricultural product geographical indication includes two towns within Qitai County: Xibeiwan Township and Gucheng Township. It borders Tatary Township to the west, the Gurbantünggüt Desert to the north, Banjiagou Town to the south, and is surrounded by Xidi Town and Kange’er Township to the east. Its geographical coordinates are between 89°46′00″–89°62′00″ east longitude and 43°97′00″–44°04′00″ north latitude, with an elevation of 740–749 meters. The total area is 15,133.3 hectares, with an annual production of 20,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External sensory characteristics: The Sipingtou chili weighs 80–100 grams per fruit, is lantern-shaped with four chambers, and has a bright green color when young, turning red when mature. The surface is smooth, with thin skin and thick flesh, offering a spicy but sweet taste. (2) Unique internal components: The Sipingtou chilies produced in Qitai are late-maturing varieties. A key distinction from chilies in other regions is their higher accumulation of dry matter, with soluble solids ≥4%, reduced ascorbic acid ≥10mg/100g, protein ≥0.8%, fat ≥0.1g/100g. The flesh is crisp and flavorful, with a pleasant texture, and rich in β-carotene, magnesium, potassium, iron, and other nutrients. (3) Quality and safety standards comply with Y5005-2008 pollution-free food standards for "Solanaceous vegetables."