How to Choose the Right Paprika Variety: Honglong 23, Surun Red or Zhenyan Red 30?
When talking about paprika quality, many buyers focus first on ASTA color, moisture, microbiological limits and price.
But one important factor is often overlooked:
The variety of paprika used as the raw material.
Different paprika varieties can perform differently in color development, yield, drying characteristics, fruit structure and field adaptability.
In the major paprika-growing areas of Xinjiang, China, varieties such as Honglong 23, Zhenyan Red 30 and the Surun Red series are widely used for processing peppers.
So, how do we choose the right variety?
The answer depends on what we want from the final paprika product.
Honglong 23 – Strong Color Performance
Honglong 23 is a well-known processing pepper variety grown in Xinjiang.
According to its registered variety information, it is an early-maturing hybrid with concentrated fruit setting, good heat tolerance and strong lodging resistance. Its mature fruits are deep red, and the registered color value reaches approximately 320 ASTA under the stated test conditions.
This makes Honglong 23 particularly interesting when the raw material is intended for products where color performance is a major consideration.
Its characteristics include:
Deep red mature fruit
High potential color value
Concentrated fruit setting
Good drying characteristics
Strong adaptability to major Xinjiang growing areas
Suitable for industrial paprika processing
Recent agricultural trials in Xinjiang have also identified Honglong 23 among processing pepper varieties with good overall agronomic performance.
For buyers requiring higher-ASTA paprika powder or paprika granules, varieties with stronger natural pigment performance can provide an important raw-material advantage.
Zhenyan Red 30 – Balance Between Yield and Processing Performance
Zhenyan Red 30 has become another important processing pepper variety in Northwest China.
It is currently grown extensively in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia and has been described by industry and local agricultural sources as a variety with high yield, strong disease resistance and high red pigment content.
In September 2026, agricultural authorities in Hejing County, Xinjiang, included both Honglong 23 and Zhenyan Red 30 in field yield and quality evaluations of mainstream processing pepper varieties.
Its practical advantage is balance.
For commercial paprika production, we do not look only at the maximum possible color value. We also consider:
Field yield
Stability from season to season
Resistance to field conditions
Drying efficiency
Raw material cost
Final processing yield
A variety that performs consistently in the field can sometimes be more suitable for large-volume commercial production than a variety selected only for one technical parameter.
Surun Red Series – Another Option for Processing Applications
The Surun Red series includes multiple processing pepper varieties, so it is important not to treat every “Surun Red” variety as exactly the same.
For example, officially registered Surun processing varieties show characteristics such as concentrated fruit setting, deep-red dried fruit, relatively fast dehydration and suitability for processing.
Therefore, when evaluating a Surun Red variety, we normally look at the specific seed variety, growing area and actual crop performance, rather than relying only on the commercial variety name.
Depending on the specific strain, Surun Red materials can offer a useful balance between:
Color
Drying performance
Yield
Pungency
Raw material cost
So Which Variety Is Better?
There is no single answer.
For paprika production, the “best” variety depends on the final product specification.
If the priority is high natural color, a variety with stronger pigment potential such as Honglong 23 may be attractive.
If the goal is stable large-volume industrial production, yield, field adaptability and processing efficiency become equally important.
If the customer requires a particular balance between color, pungency and cost, another processing variety may be more appropriate.
More importantly, variety name alone cannot determine the final paprika quality.
The same variety can produce different results depending on:
Growing area
Temperature and sunlight
Irrigation
Harvest maturity
Drying method
Storage conditions
Processing method
ASTA color itself measures extractable pigments in paprika, and pigment development is strongly related to fruit maturity and raw-material condition.
At Tiancifeng Foods, We Select Raw Materials According to the Final Product
At Qingdao Tiancifeng Foods Co., Ltd., we do not evaluate paprika raw materials only by variety name.
We look at the actual performance of each crop and select raw materials according to the final specification required by our customers.
For example, different raw materials may be selected for:
Paprika Powder 120 ASTA
Paprika Powder 160 ASTA
Paprika Powder 180 ASTA
High-color paprika
Paprika Flakes
Paprika Granules
Customized industrial applications
For us, choosing the right paprika variety is only the first step.
The final goal is to achieve the right balance of color, consistency, processing performance and cost for each customer.
Qingdao Tiancifeng Foods Co., Ltd.
Email: sales@tcffood.com
Website: www.tiancifengfood.com
