Jamaica to reap 3,000 tonnes of hot pepper under incentive programme

Jamaica is expected to reap another 3,000 metric tonnes of hot peppers for the 2020/21 crop year under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries’ Production Incentive Programme (PIP).
This was disclosed by Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Parish Agriculture Manager for St. Elizabeth, Nathan Samuels, who noted that approximately $60 million has been budgeted to increase production of hot peppers.
“Hot peppers have remained one of Jamaica’s most promising non-traditional export crops. There are many varieties of hot peppers; however, the ones that are of economic importance in Jamaica are the Scotch Bonnet and West Indian Red peppers. They are used in a variety of sauces and seasoning and have immense market potential,” Mr. Samuels explained.
A total of 650 farmers across the island are engaged in the growing of hot peppers most of whom are concentrated in the parishes of Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, St. Thomas, St. Ann and St. Mary.
Under the $1.6-billion Production Incentive Programme, other crops such as ginger, dasheen, Irish potatoes, onion, sweet yam, strawberry and cassava are targeted for development with over 4,000 farmers expected to benefit, directly and indirectly.
Participating farmers have been trained by RADA in technical approaches through meetings and field demonstrations.
RADA has also provided support by distributing planting materials, agricultural chemicals such as insecticides and fungicides, plastic mulch, irrigation and spraying equipment.