每日英語跟讀 Ep.K563: New Mexico Boosts Chili Production: Over 53,000 Tons Produced During Last Season
New Mexico, famous for its chili peppers, produced over 53,000 tons of the crop during the last growing season, a higher amount than the previous year. The US Department of Agriculture and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture released these numbers as Governor Lujan Grisham signed legislation establishing the sweet smell of green chili roasting in the fall as the state’s official aroma.
新墨西哥州是著名的辣椒產地，上個季節生產的辣椒產量超過53,000噸，比前一年高。美國農業部和新墨西哥州農業部公布了這些數字，同時州長Lujan Grisham簽署了立法，將秋天燒烤的綠色辣椒香氣訂為該州的官方氣味。
New Mexico is well-known for its love of chili peppers, which are a staple in the state. Chili is one of the official state vegetables, it's on license plates, and it forms the basis of the state's official question: "Red or Green?" In 2014, the state even adopted its own trademark and certification program to protect the reputation and integrity of its signature crop.
新墨西哥州以對辣椒的熱愛而聞名，辣椒也是該州主要農作物，出現在車牌上，也是該州官方問題的由來：“紅色還是綠色？” 2014年，該州甚至採用了自己的商標和認證計劃，以保護其標誌性作物的名譽和誠信。
According to the latest figures, more than 90% of the chili produced in 2022 was of the green variety. The value of the crop was estimated at more than $46 million, about $1 million more than in 2021. While production was up, the land used for planting was actually less than in 2021. That's because farmers are seeing higher yields from their crops due to irrigation and cultivation improvements.
根據最新數據，2022年生產的辣椒中超過90％是綠色品種。辣椒作物的價值估計超過4600萬美元，比2021年高出約100萬美元。儘管生產量有所提高，但用於種植的土地實際上比2021年少。這是由於灌溉和耕作的改進，農民看到農作物產量的提高。
Travis Day, executive director of the New Mexico Chili Association, said that the latest figures are exciting news for the industry, which has faced its share of market and labor challenges in recent years. Day also pointed out that more farmers outside southern New Mexico's chili-growing belt are having success with peppers. About three-fifths of last year's production came from counties other than Sierra, Doña Ana, and Luna counties.
新墨西哥辣椒協會執行董事Travis Day表示，最新數據對這個行業來說是令人興奮的消息，該行業近年來面臨市場和勞動力的挑戰。Day還指出，更多來自南新墨西哥辣椒種植帶之外的農民在辣椒種植方面取得成功。去年生產量的五分之三來自Sierra，Doña Ana和Luna以外的縣市。
Farmers are expecting a strong season this year, as long as the weather cooperates. Forecasts calling for more moisture could help increase the availability of irrigation supplies, but Day warned that standing water in fields increases the potential for wilt and root rot diseases that could affect the harvest in late July and early August.
農民預測只要天氣能配合，今年將是個豐收的季節。預報提到有更多水量可能有助於增加灌溉用水的供應，但Day警告說，田地中的積水會增加枯萎和根腐病的潛在風險，這可能會影響7月底和8月初的收成。
In conclusion, New Mexico is proud of its chili production, and the latest figures show that the state's love affair with chili peppers continues. Despite the challenges of recent years, the industry is seeing positive growth, and farmers are expecting a strong season this year. With more farmers outside the state's traditional growing belt having success with peppers, the future looks bright for New Mexico's signature crop.
總之，新墨西哥州為其辣椒產量感到自豪，最新的數據顯示，該州對辣椒的熱愛依舊。儘管近年來面臨著種種挑戰，仍可看到該行業的正成長，農民們預計今年的農作季節會有豐收。由於更多在傳統種植區域外的州內農民也成功種植辣椒，因此新墨西哥州的招牌作物未來看好。Reference article: https://apnews.com/article/new-mexico-chile-pepper-crop-9d23a96b061dee2a880661b376ad735a