Chinese chili pepper invasion making some Mexicans hot

By Chris Hawley, The Arizona Republic

MEXICO CITY — It is one of Mexico's most emblematic foods, the spicy ingredient in everything from salsa to enchiladas. But in Mexico, the red-hot chili pepper is under attack from abroad.

China and other countries have flooded Mexico with dried peppers for three years. Chinese chilis now account for one-third of all such peppers consumed in Mexico, the National Council of Chili Producers says.

"The Chinese are winning at everything. Now they're beating us at chili peppers, too," said Miguel Angel Romo, a seller of dried peppers at Mexico City's Central de Abastos market.

For Mexico, which is particularly proud of all things Mexican, from its pyramids to petroleum, it's the latest humiliation at the hands of China. The Chinese have lured away factories and undercut local manufacturers by flooding Mexico with cheap shoes and other goods. --SNIP-- Read the entire story here