Kuqa's natural drying yards glow with pepper harvest at peak season

During the harvest season, villagers are busy drying pigment peppers and long red peppers at a 30-mu (about 2 hectares) drying yard in Yixihala Town, Kuqa City, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The entire ground is covered with a sea of bright red peppers.

Photo taken on September 6, 2026 shows villagers sort, slit and deseed pigment peppers before spreading them out to dry at a drying yard in Yixihala Town, Kuqa City, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Wang Longjiang)

On September 6, 2026, villagers at the drying yard in Yixihala Town were busy sorting pigment peppers, slitting them open to remove seeds, and laying them flat to dry. Thanks to its abundant light and heat resources and location, the yard not only handles peppers from Kuqa City but also receives loads from neighboring counties like Baicheng. The dried peppers produced here are known for their rich color and long shelf life, making them highly sought after in the market.

Najima Mamat, a villager from Keqilike Village in Wuqia Town, Kuqa City, said, "Our family planted 120 mu (8 hectares) of peppers this year. Now that the peppers are ripe, we bring them here to the drying yard. It is spacious, the peppers dry well, and they sell really well."

The drying operations at the yard run from late August through late September, with an estimated total of 150 tonnes of peppers to be dried this season. The dried peppers are mainly shipped to Kashi, Hotan and Aksu. The drying yard also offers a good option for temporary work for residents in nearby villages. More than 70 villagers are currently working there each day, giving a tangible boost to local incomes.

Janethan Emin, a resident of Aremaili Community in Yixihala Town, Kuqa City, said, "I live nearby, and I get paid every day. Coming here to work helps me earn extra income for my family."

With a variety of agricultural products coming onto the market across Kuqa City, townships are capitalizing on their industrial strengths to drive income growth for villagers. The blazing red peppers not only paint a striking picture of autumn abundance, but also kindle hope among local farmers for better earnings and a more prosperous future.

(The Media Convergence Center of Kuqa City, Reporter: Wang Longjiang, Zubaida Yusan)