Amidst the towering mountains of Sichuan and Chongqing, the plump and rosy Sichuan peppercorns are nurturing a new legend in China's foreign trade. As a pearl of spices that has been passed down for thousands of years, Sichuan pepper has always carried the wisdom and taste code of the East, from the singing of "pepper chatting with reality" in the Book of Songs to the witness of Zhang Qian's opening up of the Western Regions trade route in the Han Dynasty. When the pointer of time points to 2025, this "China Red" is writing a new chapter in trade in the wave of globalization with an average annual export growth rate of 12%.
The clouds and mist of the Qinling Mountains nourish the richness of Hancheng Dahongpao, the Sichuan Hanyuan Gongjiao accumulates a layer of hemp fragrance in the Ya'an River Valley, and the Shandong Laiwu Sichuan pepper condenses a unique and pungent flavor in the hilly areas. The Chinese pepper industry has formed three core production areas, with a planting area exceeding 12 million mu and an annual output value exceeding 30 billion yuan. These geographical indication products have built a trade network covering more than 120 countries worldwide through hubs such as Qingdao Port and Shanghai Port. The preference of Japanese cuisine for Hanyuan Sichuan pepper, the dependence of Korean kimchi on Phoenix pepper, and the pursuit of Dahongpao in the Southeast Asian market all weave together the global narrative of Eastern spices.
On the international trade stage, Chinese prickly ash corns are breaking through the traditional positioning of agricultural products. The EU market has included Chinese prickly ash oil in its high-end seasoning catalog, while the American Spice Association has included it in its emerging functional food ingredient library. Behind this value leap is the support of a standardized planting system - the 10000 acre GAP certification base established in Sichuan, the full traceability system implemented in Shaanxi, and the intelligent drying technology developed in Shandong, jointly building a quality moat. When Japanese merchants trace the growth trajectory of Chinese prickly ash through blockchain, they not only see detection data, but also the modernization transformation of Chinese agriculture.
Faced with the improvement of EU pesticide residue testing standards, Shandong enterprises have joined forces with research institutes to tackle biological control technology; Sichuan enterprises innovate nitrogen filled fresh-keeping packaging in response to the new packaging regulations of the US FDA; Develop moisture-proof aluminum foil packaging for the humid and hot climate in Southeast Asia. These technological iterations demonstrate the adaptability of China's Chinese prickly ash industry. Under the RCEP agreement framework, companies utilize the rules of origin accumulation to optimize their supply chains, resulting in an 8% reduction in procurement costs for Japanese and Korean customers. When Vietnamese merchants scan QR codes at border trade ports to obtain quarantine certificates, the convenience of digital trade is reshaping traditional foreign trade processes.
Brand premium has become a new arena. Chongqing "Dezhuang" pepper has completed international registration through the Madrid system, Shenzhen "Weiyuanda" has opened a multilingual flagship store in Amazon, and Shaanxi "Hanchenghong" has set up an experience center in the Middle East through the "the Belt and Road" exhibition. The construction of these brand matrices has resulted in Chinese Szechwan Pepper prices being 40% higher than similar products in India, but still in short supply. Cultural empowerment is equally crucial - the global tour of Sichuan cuisine chefs and the Szechwan Pepper themed lectures on traditional Chinese medicine health preservation have made "Ma culture" a unique trade driver.
At the Qingdao Szechwan Pepper Auction Center, electronic nose technology is analyzing samples from around the world, and AI algorithms are predicting price trends for the next season. In the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, the extraction process of Szechwan Pepper essential oil attracts cooperation from multinational pharmaceutical companies. These technological penetrations indicate industrial fission: from primary agricultural products to biological extracts, from food ingredients to pharmaceutical intermediates, the value chain continues to extend. When European laboratories validated the neuroprotective effects of Szechwan Pepper extract, Chinese pharmaceutical companies had already laid out patent matrices in advance.
The goal of carbon neutrality has given rise to new forms of industry. Gansu enterprises pilot the ecological planting of "Sichuan pepper+photovoltaic", while Sichuan promotes the use of pest and disease prediction and warning systems to reduce pesticide use. These green practices not only break through international green barriers, but also create a premium space for Sichuan pepper with a "carbon label". On cross-border e-commerce platforms, consumers can watch the picking process of Sichuan peppercorns through AR technology, and this transparent traceability is reconstructing the trade trust system.
Looking back at the timeline of 2025, the foreign trade journey of Chinese Sichuan pepper is like its unique numbing aroma - slightly stimulating at first taste, lingering on the lips and teeth after careful tasting, and long-lasting aftertaste. When this seed carrying a thousand years of civilization takes root and sprouts in a foreign land, it not only conveys the flavor of the East, but also the innovative response of Chinese wisdom to globalization. In the future trade landscape, Sichuan pepper will continue to embody the legend of "small products, big markets", allowing the world to perceive the warmth and depth of China's story through its tongue.
Post time: Mar-19-2025