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Chilli pepper - production & trade
World production of chillies during the late 1990s was estimated to be some 2,500,000 tonnes. Paprika accounts for two thirds of this. India is the main producer growing over 850,000 tonnes annually.
Cultivation
Cultivars of Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens are most commonly grown in India. C. annuum is cultivated throughout the lower plains and in the lower hills of Kashmir and the Chenub valley. When it is grown on the hills it is said to be very pungent. C. frutescens is more frequently grown in Bengal, Orissa and Madras.
Plants are propagated by seed, often in nursery beds, and then transplanted into fields later. Chilli peppers are ready for harvest 3-6 weeks after flowering, depending on the fruit maturity desired. Green chillies are harvested earlier that orange or red chillies.
Chillies sold in dried form may be left a little longer on the plant to partially wither and dry out. Fruit left to over ripen like this can develop even higher levels of pungency than less mature fruits. Harvesting is done by hand or with the aid of a small knife. Some cultivars are so pungent that the harvester needs to wear gloves to avoid the skin on their hands from becoming blistered.
Chilli peppers are cleaned and sometimes graded before sale as a fresh spice. Some chillies are dried. In India sun-drying is common, which often takes place on mats in fields and by roadsides. These can be stored for months before selling on, or can be further processed into sauces or as ground, canned, pickled or bottled chillies. Cayenne pepper is produced by finely grinding the skins of Capsicum frutescens chillies.
Chilli peppers contain a small amount of essential oils and oleoresins which can be obtained by steam distilling and solvent extraction of fruits. They replace powders in the food-processing industry.
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| Image: Dried chillies. |
Chillies sold in dried form may be left a little longer on the plant to partially wither and dry out. Fruit left to over ripen like this can develop even higher levels of pungency than less mature fruits. Harvesting is done by hand or with the aid of a small knife. Some cultivars are so pungent that the harvester needs to wear gloves to avoid the skin on their hands from becoming blistered.
Markets and processing
The large-fruited bell peppers, yellow, green, orange or red, are sold as a fresh vegetable and are marketed as sweet peppers.Chilli peppers are cleaned and sometimes graded before sale as a fresh spice. Some chillies are dried. In India sun-drying is common, which often takes place on mats in fields and by roadsides. These can be stored for months before selling on, or can be further processed into sauces or as ground, canned, pickled or bottled chillies. Cayenne pepper is produced by finely grinding the skins of Capsicum frutescens chillies.
Chilli peppers contain a small amount of essential oils and oleoresins which can be obtained by steam distilling and solvent extraction of fruits. They replace powders in the food-processing industry.
