PEPPER
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Pepper is a tender,
warm-season vegetable. It is the most popular spice in the world. It is
sold in both black and white varieties and for the most part is imported
from India, Indonesia, and Borneo. It is sold in whole or ground
varieties, and is used in almost every dish imaginable.
Pepper plants require somewhat higher temperatures, grow more slowly
and are smaller than most tomato plants.
VARIETIES OF PEPPER
- Pimiento
- Tabasco
- Cayenne
- Chili
- Paprika
- Bells - most popular in the US
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
- Hybrid Bell
- Bell Boy (70 days to harvest;
goes green to red)
- Lady Bell (72 days; goes green
to red)
- Purple Belle (70 days;
immature purple, black to red)
- Chocolate Bell (75 days; green
to chocolate brown)
- Sweet Frying or Salad Type
- Gypsy (65 days to harvest;
pale yellow to orange to red)
- Sweet Banana (70 days; pale
yellow to orange to red)
- Hot Peppers
- Cayenne, large thick (70 days
to harvest)
- Cayenne, long, slim (73 days)
- Jalapeno (70 days)
- Red Chili (84 days)
Selection of Storage
For practical purposes, in this section, peppers will be divided into
two categories:
- sweet peppers
- chili peppers.
Sweet peppers
Sweet green bell-shaped peppers are the most popular garden variety.
Left to ripen, they turn red, purple, orange or yellow and gain various
levels of sweetness depending on the variety. Although the paler green
and yellow tapering varieties have more flavor, all sweet peppers are
similar in flavor and texture. They are crisp and refreshing raw, and
pleasantly assertive when cooked to tenderness. Green bell peppers are a
main ingredient in Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine as well as Italian
and Mediterranean cooking. Peppers can be harvested from July to
October. They are delicious in the green stage, the sweeter ripe stage
or anywhere in between. Due to the short Chicagoland growing season,
many sweet peppers never reach full maturity/ripeness.
Chili peppers
Chili peppers are famous throughout the world from the fiery cuisines
of Mexico, India, Thailand and Africa to the subtle flavor enhancement
of the most delicate dishes. The hot varieties can also be picked at any
color stage, but are hottest if allowed to fully ripen. Chili peppers
ripen through a wide range of colors from yellow, orange, purple and
even brown. Some chili peppers turn bright red, which is more often an
indication of ripeness rather than hotness.
Chili peppers are perennial subshrubs native to South America, which
are grown as annuals in our colder climate. They range in hotness from
mild to fiery hot. The burning sensation is attributed to chemical
compounds called capsaicinoids, which are stored in the light-colored
veins, on the walls, and surrounding the seeds. Capsaicin acts on the
pain receptors in the mouth, not the taste buds. Experts agree that long
hot dry summers produce the best (hottest) chili peppers.
India in World Pepper Industry
Yield depends to a certain extent on the varieties grown. Varieties
with smaller pods will produce less weight per acre. Figures do not
include bell pepper production. The countries are ranked by total yield.
Also, some notable chile pepper-producing countries, such as Burma,
Pakistan, Peru, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Tanzania, and Hungary were not
included.
| Country |
Year
|
Acreage
(In Acres) |
Yield
(Dry Equiv. Tons) |
| India |
1986 |
2,202,746
|
707,900 |
| Mexico |
1988 |
156,840
|
536,000 |
| Indonesia |
1986 |
498,940
|
387,000 |
| China
|
1988 |
148,200
|
212,500 |
| Korea |
1986 |
326,331 |
202,841 |
| Thailand |
1985 |
143,652 |
116,501 |
| Ethiopia |
1971 |
600,704 |
102,200 |
|
U.S.A. |
1988
|
31,201 |
49,921 |
|
Taiwan |
1986 |
7,047 |
21,218 |
| Malaysia |
1985 |
2,848 |
13,836 |
|
Japan |
1984
|
351 |
400 |
According to a 1993 study by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station,
India again was ranked first in pepper acreage. The U.S. was eleventh
(bell pepper production included) and Mexico was sixth. Remember that
yield varies by variety and cultural practices.
| Country |
Acreage |
| India |
2,230,000 |
| Ethiopia |
608,000 |
| Indonesia |
541,000 |
| Korea |
331,000 |
| China |
215,000 |
| Mexico |
204,000 |
| Bangladesh |
197,000 |
| Nigeria |
193,000 |
| Thailand |
151,000 |
| Pakistan |
144,000 |
| U.S.A. |
125,000 |
| Sri
Lanka |
101,000 |
Factors influencing pepper quality
- Variety selection
- Plant population
- Mineral nutrition
- Water - Soil Moisture and Rainfall
- Pest Management
- Growing temperature
- Wind
- Harvest time
- Harvest method
- Washing
- Cooling packing
- Storage
Factors influencing pepper
market
- Indian pepper is at a premium
against all the international grades. However, the production and
exports of pepper from other locations has a profound influence on
Indian pepper prices too.
- Weather and the annual production
of a year.
- Year ending stocks and
stocks-to-consumption ratio.
- Indian pepper arrives in the
market in the beginning of the year. However, distress selling is
not witnessed in pepper and the producers hold back the stock in
anticipation of better prices.
- Government policies with regard to
imports and exports.
- Traders allege large-scale imports
of pepper from Sri Lanka and re-export from India as a major price
depressing factor and Government has been asked to take measures to
stop this practice.
Important world pepper market
- New York
- Singapore
- Rotterdam
- Lampung at Panjang (Indonesia)
- Sarawak at Kuching (Malaysia)
- Vietnam at HCM City (Vietnam)
- Kochi
Note : Kerala is considered to
be the premium grade of pepper and rules above the international grades.
Indian Scenario
- India harvests most of its pepper
at the beginning of the year. During 2003, production of pepper in
India was reported to be 65,000 tons against 80,000 tons in 2002.
- Kerala accounts for 90% of India's
pepper production. The other producers are Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
- During 2003, Indian exports of
pepper amounted to 17,200 tons, registering a 31% fall compared to
exports of 24,914 tons in 2002. The export in 2003 was the lowest
quantity of pepper exported from India during the last four decades.
This quantity was only 64% of the average export over the last five
years. In terms of export share, India contributed only 8% to total
producing country exports in 2003, a fall from the 14% of average
share during last five years.
- Developments in the spice industry
in India have significantly affected exports. During 2003, export of
whole pepper from India was only 26% of the total production,
against 31% during 2002. The main market for Malabar black was
United States, which traditionally imported around 50% of India's
exports, followed by Canada, Netherlands and Italy. However, during
2003, only 30% of India's export was shipped to the United States
Global Scenario
- The global production of pepper
fluctuates between 3-3.5 lakh tons tons, with a production of 3.25
lakh tons recorded in 2003.
- Vietnam (85000 tons), Indonesia
(67000 tons), India (65000 tons), Brazil (35000 tons), Malaysia
(22000 tons), Sri Lanka (12750 tons), Thailand, China are the major
producers of pepper in the World.
- Vietnam's sudden increase in
production has resulted in the global production, increasing to
3-3.5 lakh tons from 1.9-2 lakh tons in the late nineties. Vietnam
is the world's largest producer and exporter of pepper in the world
now.
- The global exports of pepper are
around 2-2.5 lakh tons, with 2.29 lakh tons being exported in 2003.
- The major exporters of pepper are
Vietnam (82000 tons), Indonesia (57000 tons), Brazil (37940 tons),
Malaysia (18500 tons) and India (17200 tons).
Properties
Black pepper is scented, a stimulator, helps in digestion, an
appetizer, is relishing, causes sweat and destroys worms. It causes
excessive urine and is also beneficial to people suffering from
gonorrhoea. Sage dhanwantari considered it to be the destroyer of all
kinds of bacterias and viruses.
Uses
- It is beneficial in many diseases.
If taken in adequate quantity, a man never suffers from flatulation.
- It helps in digesting the food of
those people, who are accustomed to having rich food.
- Using rice in the diet with kidney
beans, neutralizes its power of causing the formation of excessive
wind. It becomes cool and gives complete nourishment.
- Ashtagun Mand (Rice water having
eight qualities).If equal quantities of kidney beans and roasted
rice are taken and the 14 times quantity of water is added to it and
then asafoetida, rock salt, dry ginger, coriander, black pepper and
leaves of fig (peepal) tree is added to it (all in powdered form)
and cooked on a slow flame, it becomes very nourishing. This rice
water cures fever increases blood, hunger and strength. It also
removes the weakness because of fever.
- The rice water, which remains
after the rice, has been cooked, if this is taken while it is still
warm mixed with honey cures thirst.
- Rice water neutralizes the effort
of the intoxication due to hemp (bhang).
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