The price of red pepper also increases (but this time the war in Ukraine has nothing to do with it)

Due to several problems affecting the plantations of the largest exporter of red pepper in the world, the price of this spice is soaring.

Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous

The increases in raw materials and the cost of energy, also exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, are contributing to the rise in the price of various commonly used products. We have already talked about pasta and tomato sauce but also the price of another product is destined to skyrocket.

Read also: Not only pasta, the cost of tomato sauce could also increase as a result of the war in Ukraine

It's about the chili. In this case, however, it is not the Russian-Ukrainian conflict that causes the spice to rise but rather some problems that are affecting the main world producer: India.

This country is the largest exporter of red pepper, think that in 2021 it produced and delivered over 578 thousand tons of this spice to different parts of the world.

India, however, is facing a series of problems affecting crops: parasites and unseasonal rains have caused production to drop by a fifth compared to that of the previous harvest.

In particular, the parasites that are decimating the chilli plants are thrips (Thrips parvispinus) which have spread despite the fact that many pesticides are generally used on plants. To guarantee the harvest, however, action must be taken immediately and some farmers did not, realizing the problem when it was too late. Some of them even abandoned crops, which allowed the parasite to spread even more.

As a trader from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the largest producer of red pepper, said:

The parasite attack was widespread. In many areas, it has forced farmers to uproot plants during the flowering phase.

The pest situation, combined with a series of anomalous rains for the season that hit the south of the country, have led to a dizzying increase in prices which, in all probability, will then be downloaded to the final consumer.

There is talk of truly record increases: prices have gone up 80% in 4 months! And it is to be expected that they will remain high throughout the year.

Meanwhile, the wholesale prices of the largest Indian market in Guntur have risen, per 100 kg of chilli, from 10 thousand rupees in November to the current 18 thousand rupees.

The problem is also that no other country in the world can replace Indian supplies, so we really risk finding red pepper with more difficulty or paying for it much more than its usual price.

Fortunately, chilli is also typical of some areas of our country, and we always have the opportunity to grow a plant at home.

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Fonte: Reuters