The Sichuan-based LTEC International Agricultural Development Company plans to expand chilli farming in Pakistan to 50,000 acres with a target output of 150,000 tons in 2024. 

According to an update issued by LTEC Pakistan, this was disclosed by Puji Holdings Chairman Chen Changwei while briefing Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque during his visit to Litong Foods in Sichuan Province on May 15. 

Chen Changwei briefed Haque on LTEC's agricultural project and its strategic plan for the integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in Pakistan in the next three years. 

Starting from March 2024, successive exports to China will commence. The company has invested in processing plants in Pakistan to promote cultivation, marketing, and trade of sorghum, broad beans, tomatoes, sesame, peanuts, and other agricultural products, aiming to integrate more Pakistani agricultural products into the global supply chain under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor agricultural projects. 

In a tweet, Haque stated that the LTEC chilli project in South Punjab currently spans over an area of 15,000 acres. 

Kanwar Waqas Ahmad, LTEC Pakistan Business Development Officer, told Gwadar Pro that the company will expand the chilli cultivation area through contract farming. "We recommend quality hybrid seed varieties to the farmers with technical assistance and purchase their yield," he said. 

In addition, LTEC will host the biggest chilli farmers' meeting on May 27 in Multan, Pakistan. The event aims to bring together farmers, seed dealers, and companies from across the region to foster cooperation and facilitate the sharing of expertise in chilli cultivation.