How much does a prickly ash (Sichuan pepper) seedling cost this year? Suitable growing regions and number of plants per mu

Prickly ash (Sichuan pepper) is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the genus Zanthoxylum in the family Rutaceae. It can be planted as a specimen plant or used as a protective thorn hedge, and it is also a very good economic tree species. Growers who want to plant prickly ash must first buy seedlings. How much does a prickly ash seedling cost this year? Which regions is it suitable for growing? How many should be planted per mu? How is the prickly ash market doing in 2018? How much does it cost per jin?

How much does a prickly ash sapling cost this year?

According to past experience, the market price of prickly ash saplings varies by variety and specification, generally around 0.2-0.5 yuan per sapling, but the most expensive ones cost 1-2 yuan each, and some cost more than 3 yuan. For example, Dahongpao prickly ash at 60 cm costs 0.3 yuan each, and at 100 cm costs 0.4 yuan each; Jiuyeqing prickly ash at 30 cm costs 1.1 yuan each, and at 50 cm costs 1.5 yuan each.

Which regions is prickly ash suitable for growing?

Prickly ash is produced from northern China to the southwest, and grows wild in areas below 1000 m altitude in the Qinling and Taishan mountain ranges. Apart from a few areas such as Northeast China and Inner Mongolia, it is widely cultivated across China. It is more common in Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Hunan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Tibet and other provinces and regions, and is mostly cultivated in low hills, on terrace edges and around courtyards. In recent years, nationally famous prickly ash industry bases have formed in Hancheng in Shaanxi, Tai'an in Shandong, Jinyang, Maowen and Hanyuan in Sichuan, and Jiangjin in Chongqing.

How many should be planted per mu?

For prickly ash saplings, it is best to plant fewer than one hundred per mu, otherwise too many will lead to poor fruiting and inconvenient harvesting. It also depends on which variety is planted. If it is a short variety, about 150 plants per mu with a spacing of about 3 m; if it is a tall variety, about 100 plants per mu with a spacing of about 5 m. It also depends on whether the soil is fertile or poor: plant fewer on fertile soil, and more densely on poor soil.

Prickly ash planting costs and returns

Cost: The cost of planting one mu of prickly ash varies by variety and region, ranging from 600—1200 yuan per mu, with the biggest difference being the labor cost of harvesting the prickly ash.

Returns: At about 70 plants per mu, fruit is borne after two years; after three years, each plant can yield more than 1 jin of dried prickly ash; after five years, each plant yields an average of 2 jin of dried prickly ash; after eight years, each plant yields an average of about 4 jin of dried prickly ash. At this year's price, dried prickly ash is 36 yuan per jin. After three years, income per mu is at least 2600 yuan; after five years, income per mu is 4000 yuan; after eight years, income per mu is 5000---6000 yuan.

How is the prickly ash market doing in 2018? How much does it cost per jin?

“This year my family sold nearly ten thousand kilograms of prickly ash. The quality is good, and the purchase price kept rising, from 22 yuan per kilogram at the beginning to around 32 yuan per kilogram later on, bringing in more than 200,000 yuan.” On January 4, Liao Huachao, a farmer from Sanjiao Township in Hanyuan County, was pruning branches and leaves in his own prickly ash field.

Hanyuan prickly ash has a long history. Since the Tang Dynasty, it was offered as tribute to the imperial court for a thousand years, hence it is also known as “tribute pepper.” Liao Huachao, for instance, has been growing prickly ash for ten years. But there was a time when, as soon as the prickly ash season arrived, he worried that he could not get a good price.

How to protect this local specialty, build a brand and turn the situation around? In 2012, in order to improve industry concentration, vigorously build the Hanyuan prickly ash brand and ultimately bring real benefits to pepper farmers, the Hanyuan County Prickly Ash Bureau was established. Change began right then.

Solving the dilemma: scientific expansion and technical know-how

Hu Wen, once a technician at the Hanyuan County Forestry Bureau, is now director of the Hanyuan County Prickly Ash Bureau. Recalling the low period for Hanyuan prickly ash from 2010 to 2012, he still feels heartbroken. “In 2010, the price once fell to 12 yuan per kilogram. There was not only no profit, but a slight loss. Many farmers cut down the prickly ash trees in their fields and turned to growing apples and other crops with higher economic returns.”

The Prickly Ash Bureau, established amid such difficulties, had only three people. As soon as Hu Wen took office, he led the other two colleagues from the bureau deep into townships such as Qingxi, Yidong and Sanjiao in Hanyuan County to carry out a fact-finding survey of the whole county. “Backward planting techniques, low production capacity, narrow sales channels…… after our visits, we found that Hanyuan prickly ash faced quite a few problems in its development.”

Previously, pepper farmers all planted separately and scattered, and techniques were passed down entirely through experience. After the Prickly Ash Bureau was established, it decided to change the countywide situation of scattered planting. To solve the problem, it began first with improving techniques. “Many farmers did not manage their prickly ash properly, and the quality of the prickly ash produced was not high. So we hired experts to give on-site guidance.” Hu Wen said, “At first the farmers could not understand it. After our repeated persuasion, some pepper farmers tried to learn pruning and to use scientific fertilization methods.” The next year, these carefully managed prickly ash fruits became larger, had fewer impurities and clearly improved in quality. “When the pepper farmers saw the change, they rushed to learn scientific management.”

In 2012, the Hanyuan County Prickly Ash Bureau also teamed up with Sichuan Agricultural University to conduct experimental research on prickly ash grafting. After repeated comparative study, 12 mother trees with strong disease resistance were selected countywide for grafting and promotion.

“When visiting Jianli Township in Qingxi Town, we found that local pepper farmer Li Jianyong had used a method he worked out himself to graft dozens of prickly ash trees. After comparison, the prickly ash fruits grafted by Li Jianyong had a higher aromatic oil content than ordinary prickly ash fruits.” Hu Wen hired this “local expert” to teach and promote prickly ash grafting methods throughout the county. “So far, we have promoted grafting on more than 6000 mu of prickly ash trees, with pretty good results.”

Breaking the deadlock: ways to expand the industry

On January 4, in Hanyuan County town, in a small shop, the owner Du Yu was busy introducing Hanyuan prickly ash to customers. “The prickly ash in our shop is all selected one grain at a time by hand. It is bright red in color and leaves a fragrant aftertaste.” Du Yu's small shop specializes in various Hanyuan local specialties, and sells more than ten thousand kilograms of prickly ash alone each year.

Besides running a specialty shop for mountain local products, Du Yu has another identity: chairman of the Shanyou Tribute Pepper Planting Farmers' Professional Cooperative in Hanyuan County. “I am from Fumin Village in Qingxi Town. My family grows several mu of prickly ash, sold through our own shop or the cooperative.” He said the cooperative sells more than a million kilograms of prickly ash each year through various online and offline channels, with very considerable income.

Encouraging farmers to expand the prickly ash industry was another move by the Prickly Ash Bureau to solve the problem. “For every new mu of prickly ash that a farmer plants, we give the farmer a total of 600 yuan including seedling subsidies and pesticide and fertilizer subsidies, which played a big role in motivating farmers.” Take Liao Huachao: with the subsidy, plus better and better prickly ash prices, he kept expanding his planting area. “Now my family's prickly ash fields already total more than 30 mu.”

In just 5 years since the Prickly Ash Bureau was established, Hanyuan County's prickly ash planting area expanded from 70,000 mu to 120,000 mu, annual output soared from 4.5 million kilograms to 11.3 million kilograms, and the price rose from 12 yuan/kg to 26 yuan/kg. In 2017, the output value of Hanyuan prickly ash reached 305 million yuan. “Over the past five years, both the output and price of Hanyuan prickly ash have doubled. Our Prickly Ash Bureau has also expanded its team; now there are five of us.” Hu Wen said with a smile.

As more and more people from other provinces and from abroad accept Hanyuan prickly ash, the market for it keeps expanding. “In 2016, we carried out a Hanyuan prickly ash promotional event in Kunshan, which brought 1.1 million yuan in orders to the Hanyuan County Yongfenghe Food Factory.” Hu Wen said the Prickly Ash Bureau is also actively exploring other values of prickly ash. Hanyuan prickly ash can not only be used for seasoning, but also has health benefits. Manufacturers have now developed derivative products such as prickly ash pillows and prickly ash wine, gradually promoting them to the market.

The director speaks

A unique hometown of prickly ash

Hu Wen, director of the Hanyuan County Prickly Ash Bureau:

Hanyuan prickly ash is mainly produced on the southern slopes of Nibashan in the Daxiangling range. The uniquely favorable climate nurtures the distinctive quality of Hanyuan prickly ash. According to sampling and analysis of prickly ash regions nationwide by Central South Agricultural College, the volatile aromatic oil content of Hanyuan prickly ash is 8.56%, far higher than the level of other domestic producing areas. Its ash content is 4.18%, lower than the level of other domestic producing areas. One high and one low demonstrates the excellent quality of Hanyuan prickly ash.

Because the prickly ash fruits produced there have 1—3 small pure-fleshed pepper grains growing attached in pairs, Hanyuan prickly ash is also commonly called “baby pepper” or “mother-and-child pepper.” It has a unique flavor: heavy in oil, large grains, cinnabar-red color, rich fragrance and a pleasant numbing spiciness.

In 2001, Hanyuan was named “China's Hometown of Prickly Ash” by the State Forestry Administration. In 2005, “Hanyuan Prickly Ash” obtained national geographical indication product protection, and in 2009, “Hanyuan Prickly Ash” obtained the national geographical indication certification trademark.