Ghana: Chilli Pepper

 

Chilli Pepper Summary Fact Sheet

 Production

National Output (2020)

• 145,121 Mt

SRID,2020

Total Area Under Cultivation

• 15,000 Ha  

SRID,2020

National Average Production (2015 to 2020)

• 134,146 Mt

SRID, 2020

Varieties of Chilli Pepper in Ghana

• M I2
• Fresno
• Shito Adope
• Jalapeno
• Scotch bonnet
• Legon 18
• Bird’s eye

Forms of Processing

• Dried pepper
• Dry powdered pepper
• Chilli paste

Main Market Segments

• Domestic fresh
• Domestic dried
• Export market

Nature of Production

• Intensive: Requires 2 to 4 times more labour than cereal crops

Cropping Cycle

• 2 cropping cycle a year 
• All year round under irrigation 

Planting Time

Rainfed:  

• March - April (Major season) August (Minor season) October (Irrigated sites):  Southern Ghana:  
• March - April (Rainy season) September - October (Irrigated sites): Northern Ghana
• All year round: Irrigation 

Planting Distance

• Cayenne (Legon 18): 60 × 60 cm
• Shito Adope: 60 x 30 cm
• Jalapeno: 60 × 30 cm
• Bird’s eye: 60 × 30 cm
• Fresno: 70 × 50 cm
• Scotch Bonnet: 80 × 50 cm

Density

• 30,000 plant per Ha (depending on the variety) 

Types of Fertiliser Used for Production

• Chemical fertilizer which consists of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium etc.
• Organic manure (which includes poultry manure and cow manure)

 Productivity

Potential Yield (2020)

• 30 Mt/Ha depending on the variety

SRID,2020

National Average Yield Per Ha (2015 - 2020)

• 8.8 Mt/Ha

SRID,2020 

 Budget Benchmarks

Costs for Establishment Per Ha

• GH¢  28,171.70 

Estimated Revenue Per Season

•  GH ¢ 56,250.00 

Average Gross Margins

• GH¢  32,078.30 per Ha per

Comparative Advantage Edge

• Ghana has a comparative advantage over India which is a major competitor in the chilli export market
• Ghana chillies have a good reputation in the EU market attributable to Legon 18 variety which has a good taste and longer shelf-life

National Consumption

• 239,000 Mt with a growth rate of 8%

 Risks

Emerging Risks

• COVID-19: Chilli production has been affected greatly due to unavailability of labour and hence all actors along the value chain.
• Foreign exchange variability or fluctuation.

Changes in SPS Requirements

• Increasing stringency by importing countries.
• High interception of exports

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General Overview of Chilli Pepper Production

Chilli Pepper (Capsicum frutenscens) is the second most important vegetable crop in Ghana in value terms, serving not only as a key emerging non-traditional export commodity, but also as an important spice and condiment used in the diets of most Ghanaian households (IFPRI, 2020). Alongside tomato and onion, chilli ranks as one of Ghana’s three most important vegetable crops in terms of hectarage and crop value with significant potential for generating income, creating jobs, and contributing to foreign exchange through exports (Gonzalez et al. 2014).  

Some farmers call it "green gold" because of its economic value to them. Production is done under both rain-fed conditions and irrigation during the dry season. Production of chilli pepper decreased slightly from 122,400 M/t in 2015 to 119,405 M/t in 2020. The area under chilli pepper cultivation in 2020 was 15,000 Ha with a yield of 8.30 Mt/Ha (FAOSTAT, 2020).  

Chilli is a non-traditional export commodity for Ghana. The main export type is the green chilli. The main importing countries are United Kingdom, Netherlands, France and Germany (GEPA, 2017). The United Kingdom is the main destination for Ghanaian chilli. Ghana is also the largest chilli exporter to the United Kingdom outside of the European Union. This apparent comparative advantage is attributed to Ghana having a favourable seasonal marketing window to export to the United Kingdom as it coincides with the dry season in India, a major competitor in the chilli export market (Gonzalez et al. 2014). Chillies produced in Ghana are also known for their good reputation in the EU markets compared to chillies from other parts of the world, especially due to the Legon 18 variety (famous for its great taste and longer shelf-life). The Bird’s Eye chilli variety also offers an emerging opportunity for higher value chilli exports in Ghana (MiDA, 2010).  

A thriving local and international market for chilli exists in Ghana with great potential for growth and investment. While chilli is mainly exported in its fresh form, in local markets it is sold in various forms, including fresh, dried, powdered, as a paste, or as an ingredient in a traditional condiment sauce called shito. Demand for processed chilli products is rising as urban consumers increasingly prefer the convenience of processed foods (DAI, 2014).  

This phenomenon suggests the need for improvement in yield and quality of the  produce if Ghana is to benefit from these market opportunities.  

Varieties Chilli Pepper

Among the suitable types are (Hot)- Legon 18, Long Red Cayenne, Bird’s eye, M12, Scotch Bonnet, Kpakpo Shito, Jalapeno and Fresno. (Sweet)- King Arthur, Florida Giant, California Wonder, Red Knight, Early Carl Wonder, Chinese Wonder, Yolo Giant.

Climatic and Soil Requirement

Chilli peppers grow best in sunny, semi-tropical, or tropical climates with an annual rainfall of 600 mm to 1,250 mm. Temperatures between 18 ℃ and 32 ℃ are optimum for good growth. Low humidity will result in poor fruit set owing to flower buds falling. Chilli peppers thrive in a variety of soil types. However, they flourish best on sandy loams rich in organic materials. Choose soil that is well-drained, has a mild slope, and has a pH of 5.0-7.0. (slightly acidic to neutral).

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Chilli Pepper Value Chain

Input Supply

This includes seeds, agrochemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) suppliers. Some farmers use their saved seeds from previous harvest whiles others use open-pollinated seeds with low yields. Improved certified hybrid seeds which improve yields and offer higher profits, as well as incomes, are available in reputable seed shops across the country.  The varieties available include M I2, Fresno, Shito Adope, Jalapeno, Scotch bonnet, Legon 18 and Bird’s eye.  The last four varieties are normally exported.  

The seed companies and agro-input dealers include  

• University of Ghana Legon (seeds-Legon 18),
• Chemico (agro chemicals),
• Wienco (seeds and agro inputs),
• Yara (seeds and agro chemicals),
• Dizengoff Ghana (seeds, agro inputs, irrigation system and heavy machinery),
• Rijk Zwaan Seeds (seeds),
• East West seeds (seeds) and
• Syngenta Ghana (seeds and agro inputs).

Some of these actors have outlets across the country where inputs can be obtained. Smaller distribution outlets for certified seeds and agro-input include Agrimat (seeds, agro-inputs, irrigation system and heavy machinery), Agriseed (seeds and agro-inputs), Aglow (seeds and agro-inputs), and Tikola seed limited (seeds).

Finance

Most banks and microfinance institutions have agribusiness desks to assess the loan applications of clients to know how viable a project is; however, they are often reluctant to give out credit facilities to farmers, especially vegetable farmers due to a perceived high-risk attached to farming.  

Production

The actors in this area are mainly farmers. They carry out a lot of activities including site selection, land preparation, variety selection, nursey activities, planting, irrigation, pest, and disease management, weed management, soil fertility management and harvesting. Chilli production provides income-earning opportunities for women and youth as they are the main actors during harvesting. Chilli pepper production is done under rain-fed and irrigation conditions.  

A major challenge to pepper production in Ghana is the limited availability of improved certified seeds and high cost of labour during harvesting. For instance, Chilli pepper production is labour intensive which requires two to four times more labour than cereal crops.  Knowledge and skills of chilli production are still relatively rudimentary in Ghana hence farmers face a lot of setbacks which lead to low yields.  Average yield of chilli pepper (2015-2020) is 8.8 Mt/ha which is not comparable to the attainable yield of 30 Mt/ha (SRID MoFA, 2020). Despite the low yields of chilli pepper, it contributes 60 - 70% of farmers income (DFID, 2014). When farmers use improved varieties such as Legon 18 and Bird’s eye, with Good Agronomic Practices, exceptionally high yields (gross margin of $882/0.4ha) is achieved. Local varieties of chilli (Hwenyame) under the same condition is also profitable, but to a lesser margin (gross margin of $316/0.4ha) (GIZ-2012).

In general, production continues to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth was most pronounced in 2012 with an increase of 110,000 MT. Chill pepper output peaked at 145,121 MT in 2020, but production stalled from 2016 to 2017. Production fell to 90,000 tons in 2011 due to a dramatic reduction in dry season irrigated chili production, which set a record for low yield. However, yields gradually increased in the years that followed (Gonzalez et al. 2014). According to official data, production increased between 2011 and 2019 from 7.0 to 9.0 tons per hectare.

Figure 1: Production of Chilli Pepper

FAOSTAT/SRID,2020

 

Post-Harvest Handling

Demand for processed chilli products is rising as urban consumers increasingly prefer the convenience of processed foods (DAI, 2014).  Post-harvest losses which occur during handling, sorting, grading, packaging, storage and transport pose massive problems to value chain. Chilli Peppers are perishable hence handling is very crucial to maintain quality and freshness.  

To extend the self-life of chillies, value must be added after harvesting. Drying is an essential post-harvest activity because it increases the shelf life of the product. If farmers are able to dry and store their produce for a while, they earn higher incomes in the dry season since the seasonal nature of the pepper is associated with high price variability.

Processing

Demand for processed chilli products is rising as urban consumers increasingly prefer the convenience of processed foods (DAI, 2014). Chilli is processed into dried pepper, dry powdered pepper, and chilli paste. The powdered pepper is used in preparing a local chilli product known as Shito.  

Chilli pepper is produced by a few companies in Ghana. These include EKA Processing Company (a major chilli producer in Sunyani) and two small chilli processing companies (Tamaiko Queen GAF), and JEGS Company Limited in Accra also process pepper into powder for the export market.

Marketing

Pepper is marketed in both fresh and processed state. Market power in the chilli value chain is tilted in favour of the buyers/traders who play a greater role in determining prices, especially during bumper harvests. There are three main market segments: the domestic fresh, domestic dried and export market. The fresh domestic market is buyer-driven as farmers receive a small proportion of final prices. The domestic dried pepper has value addition although significant losses occur during drying. After drying, processing into powder and other products adds extra value. The export market is buyer-driven with varieties and prices determined by exporters. Exported chillis are cultivated to meet GlobalGAP and other market standards, sorted and package for European supermarket notably Britain and Germany. Fresh chillies are sold mainly in the domestic market however some packaging is emerging to serve supermarkets and hospitality industry. The long and finger-like variety is most preferred for the dry chilli market whiles the round is also preferred for fresh chilli market.  The market for both fresh and dried is growing rapidly with the sale of chilli powder growing faster. The fastest growth, though from a low base, is in the sale of finished products such as shito, as they cater for the trend towards convenience amongst urban consumers. Four major markets in the Southern belt of the country are Accra, Takoradi, Kumasi and Techiman. Agbogbloshie, Makola, Nima, Mallam Atta and Madina markets are markets within Accra where fresh, dried and powdered chill pepper can be purchased.

Consumption

Chilli pepper is consumed in both fresh or processed state. The national consumption of chilli has been 239 000 MT and this has been growing at around 8% per annum due to the establishment of hospitality industries, increased incomes and consumer preferences as integral to Ghanaian dishes (DFID, 2014). Fresh and processed chilli pepper are consumed by hotels, restaurants, schools and households.

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Key Agronomic Practices

Key Agronomic Practices and their Importance

Good Agricultural Practice	Brief Description and Importance
Planting Material	Used improved certified seeds from reputable dealers. Major varieties: Legon 18, Scotch bonnet, Jalapeno, Bird’s eye, M12, Kpakpo shito and Shito Adope.
Production Areas	Eastern Region: Nsawam and Upper Manya Krobo, Ashanti Region: Akomadan Ashanti Region: Ejura-Sekyeredumasi, Ofoase-Kokoben and Konongo-Obenemasi Greater Accra Region: Ada Central Region: Gomoa Fetteh Volta Regions: Anloga, Dzodze, South Tongu, Ketu-South, Keta Northern Region: Tolon and Kumbungu
Nursery Establishment	Seeds are most suitable if test results show 85-100% germination. Seed rate: 100-150g/Ha (approximately 30,000 seeds) depending on variety. For farmer saved seeds, treat with recommended seed dressing chemical or hot water at 50 oC for 25 minutes in a water bath before sowing. (NB: seeds from certified sources are pre-treated). Raise pepper seedling in either seed trays, boxes and on seed beds.
Land Preparation	Clear the vegetation - fell trees and remove the stumps where necessary. Do spot burning when the debris is thick after slashing. Plough across the slope to a depth of 20 - 30 cm and harrow to a fine tilth (double plough if necessary). Incorporate well decomposed poultry manure at the rate of (20 - 30 tonnes/ha) at land preparation preferably between the first and second ploughing. In the absence of poultry manure, apply cow dung or other animal droppings at a rate of 30 - 40 tonnes/ha. This should be ploughed in 4 - 5 weeks before planting. Apply herbicides to fresh growing weeds in between ridges and allow one to two weeks for weeds to die.
Planting	Seedlings are ready for transplanting 4 - 6 weeks after emergence or at 4 – 5 leaf stage. Planting distance depends on variety. Spacing for some Pepper Varieties Cayenne (Legon 18)    Cayenne (Legon 18) - 60 cm × 60 cm                                                                                          Shito Adope Jalapeno Shito Adope (Jalapeno)  - 60 xm x 30 cm       Bird’s eye  Bird’s eye -  60 cm × 30 cm      Fresno  Fresno - 70 cm × 50 cm     Scotch Bonnet  Scotch Bonnet - 80 cm × 50 cm
Choose suitable soils	Conduct soil test. Ensure the soils are well-drained and fertile. Avoid fields previously planted or intercropped with solanaceous crops (e.g. Tomato, garden eggs), for the past two cropping seasons. Peppers are very sensitive to waterlogged soils and prefer a soil pH of between 5.5  - 6.8. Soils should be analyzed to establish soil pH, levels of organic matter, phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. In acidic soils (pH less than 5.4) add rock phosphate, poultry manure or lime (1 - 2 tonnes of quicklime/ ha) to improve nutrient supply in soils. Above pH 7.0 add either magnesium Sulphate or Ammonium Sulphate to correct pH. Seek professional guidance in amending your soil pH.
Agro Climate Conditions	Pepper requires warm days, bright sunshine and cool nights for optimum yields. High temperatures of over 32 °C and low humidity result in excessive flower and fruit drop resulting in drastic yield losses. Optimal temperatures for growing pepper are between 18 °C - 30 °C. Night temperatures above 22 °C leads to poor fruit set. Relative humidity of between 60 - 80% are most suitable. Rainfall above 600 mm and well distributed during vegetative growth and fruiting is favourable for production.
Staking	Stake plants with a heavy load of fruits to prevent lodging.
Mulching	Mulch to conserve moisture, reduce weed competition, erosion and soil compaction. Use rice straw (5 t/ha) or other organic material, polyethylene sheet, or a combination of materials. If plastic mulch is used, lay before transplanting.
Irrigation	Grow pepper under drip or furrow irrigation if possible. Maintaining optimum moisture levels in the soils is crucial for crop development especially during critical periods like flower-setting and fruits formation. Provide at least a minimum water requirement of about 600 mm per annum and a weekly water requirement of 25 mm during the first five weeks and 35 mm thereafter. Drain fields quickly after heavy rains. Pepper plants cannot tolerate flooding and will generally wilt and die if they stand in water for more than 48 hours. Reduce watering towards the end of the crop as excess moisture on the leaves can lead to diseases and fruit cracking.
Pest and Disease Management	Major Pests: Thrips, Whiteflies, Aphids, Leafworms, cutworm, termites, broad mites, fruit borers, false codling moth and leaf miners. Major Diseases: Damping-off (Phytophthora sp. Pythium sp), Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum), Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. pv. lycopersici), Anthracnose (Collectotrichum capsici, C. coccodes, C.acutatum). Powdery mildew (Laveillu lataurica).
Soil Fertility Management	Test soil to know fertility before applying fertilizer and adjust rates to meet the crop’s nutrients requirements. Nutrient Management Apply Phosphorus at the rate of 80 kg/ ha at planting in the form of Diammonium Phosphate (18 % N, 46 % P2O5) or Triple Super Phosphate (46 % P2O5). Phosphate Rock (21 % P2O5) is recommended for supply of phosphorus in organic pepper production. Both inorganic and organic manure should be well incorporated in the soil before transplanting. Supply 30 kg per ha of nitrogen as Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) at the beginning of flowering. Soils that are waterlogged or alkaline require foliar feed sprays during vegetative growth and flowering to supply macro and micro nutrients. More nitrogen and magnesium are required during vegetative growth. At flowering plants may show increased demand for potassium, boron and phosphorus. Weekly application of micro-nutrients (Iron, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum, Boron, Manganese) should be applied to foster better plant development.
Weed Management	Control weeds by adopting manual and mechanical means or herbicides at early stages of weed growth to avoid competition with the plants for nutrients and other resources.
Harvest Management	Peppers are ready for harvesting 6 - 8 Weeks After Transplanting (WAT). Harvesting continues for 4 – 6 months, harvest red ripe or green depending on market demand. Harvesting should be done at least once a week to avoid over-ripening of fruits. Keep produce under shade or in a cool environment immediately after harvest to remove field-heat. This aids greatly in maintaining quality and substantially lengthens the shelf-life.
Post-Harvest practices	Handling . Do not store peppers with other ripening fruits especially mangoes and papayas to prevent fast ripening and spoilage. Sorting and Grading  Remove damaged, rotten and cracked fruits. Select only healthy fruits and grade based on the quality (clean, firm and fresh), colour and size. Packaging  Ensure that the produce is well packed in clean sound packaging materials to reduce physical and mechanical injuries. Holding and storage  Store harvested produce under clean dry well-ventilated environment. For cold chains, ensure optimal storage temperature and maintain same temperature regime throughout the entire storage period. Transport  Transport produce quickly to the market using well-stacked crates in the well-ventilated truck to minimize a rate of deterioration. Protect harvested fruits from direct sunlight while being transported on tracks or pickups to local markets. Pepper should be taken to the market on the same day they were harvested preferably late in the afternoon. Fresh fruits for export and processing require refrigerated tracks in which temperatures can be maintained at 8 ˚C. Drying Hot Pepper To dry, blanch red ripe peppers by dipping them in boiling hot water for two to five seconds and spread out to dry. Solar and oven driers can be used for drying. Hot pepper should be dried to a maximum moisture content of 13% which discourages the growth of aflatoxins. After drying pack in sacks and store in a dry and well-ventilated area away from rodents, birds and other pests.

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Key Risks Along the Value Chain and Mitigation Measures

Value Chain Actions	Key Risks and Challenges	Mitigation Measures
Input Supply	Limited availability of suitable/certified seed variety Low germination percentage Disease infected seeds Poor storage of seeds/input Quality of inputs Fake and adulterated inputs	Obtain seeds from reputable seed shops and accredited agro-input dealers. Training on storage and use of high value seeds
Finance	Difficulty in accessing loans and credit facilities.	Proper record keeping on production and cash flow Farm insurance Cooperative/ farmer group formation
Production	Climate Change Flood and waterlog Pest and disease outbreak Theft &Fire Poor nursery practices Application of pesticides Contaminated irrigation water Stray animals Food safety concerns Harvesting Soil fertility	Adopting climate smart technologies Construction of drainage canals Integrated pest management Good Agricultural Practices Site selection Regular testing of water used in operations Fencing Traceability system must be employed Good business planning Diversification of enterprises Soil testing
Post-harvest handling	Limited technical know-how of farm hands Poor post-harvest practices Unavailability of pack houses	Train farm hands on Post-harvest technologies. Pack houses should be sited at strategic places in areas of large production
Marketing	Price fluctuation Poor Infrastructure Poor market formation Accessibility to farms High level of interception at foreign borders due to SPS measures Lack of standard measures and weights Glut	Market survey Crop Price Insurance Contract farming Collective marketing Proper Planning to meet market demand Value Addition Construction of good roads Cold chain logistics Ventilated trucks should be used to transport pepper.
Processing	Unavailability of quality packaging materials Low technical know-how Poor quality and unavailability of preferred varieties for processing Food safety issues and contamination	Use of quality packaging materials Training of personnel Several value addition methods can be employed (powder, paste, pickles) Encourage research into and uptake of preferred varieties
Consumption	Consumer preference Food safety concerns	Market survey Good storage conditions Timing of Harvest Traceability systems Implement certification of vegetables

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Pests, Diseases, Symptoms and Control Measures

Major Pests and their Control Measures

Pests	Symptoms	Control Measures/Management
White Flies (Bemisa tabaci)	Growth of black sooty mould on the upper surface of leaves. Suck plant sap and may transmit the virus Stunting, curling or twisting of the leaves. Bright yellow mosaic, distortion of leaves and fruit, and reduced yields.	Soap solution Neem oil. Other low toxicity insecticides of WHO/EU class III. Please refer to the current Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) listing for this pest. Reflective mulches. Spray your plants with soap, rubbing alcohol and water mixture. Introduction of Encarsia formosa- a parasitic wasp controlling white fly (Biological Control).
Aphid (Cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii)	Aphids suck the leaf sap which leads to leaf distortion and cupping. They produce honeydew which leads to the growth of grey-black sooty mould. May transmit the mosaic virus. Scattering of white skin casings under the plant. Ants actively running over the plant. Sticky leaves.	Spray neem seed kernel extract (recommended dosage). Other low toxicity insecticides of WHO/EU class III. Please refer to the current PPRSD listing for pest. Soap solution (150 - 300g / 15lit. of water). Biological control using ladybirds, lacewings, hoverflies, parasitic wasps, etc. Remove badly damaged leaves from the pepper plant. Apply a strong spray of water from a garden hose sprayer in the morning. Remove weeds from inside and around the pepper bed. Use yellow traps to attract and kill aphids.
Thrips	Young leaves of infested plants have silvery streak scars and may curl upwards. Fruits also have a cork-like streak. Leaves, stem, flowers and fruits may deform. Streaking of petals and may lead to drying and shedding.	Use botanical pyrethrins at the recommended dosage. Use blue/yellow sticky traps which can be improvised by smearing grease/vaseline on plastic cards to monitor and reduce population. Conserve natural enemies like ladybird beetles, minute pirate bugs, ground beetles, big-eyed bugs, lacewings, hoverflies and spiders. Ensure proper weed control. Foliar sprays containing malathion are recommended. Till the soil to bring the thrips pupae to the surface. Keep the soil well irrigated and avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer application.
Mites (Tetranychus urticae)	Tiny dots of various colours on leaves surfaces moving about. Leaves turn yellow- whites and dry out. Downward curling of leaves. Young leaves turn brown and lower leaves become yellowish. Webbing covering leaves.	Use approved miticides. Treat or spray plants with Sulphur or Copper based insecticides according to recommended dosage (That is Flowable Sulphur, Top Cop). Increase the humidity around the plant. Spray with neem oil.

 

Major Diseases and their Control Measures 

Diseases	Symptoms	Control Measures/ Management
Damping-off	Infected seeds fail to germinate. Roots of young seedlings are water-soaked and discoloured while stem bases grow thinner and softer. compared to upper parts hence the seedling collapses. Young seedlings collapse. Seedlings are stunted.	Sterilize media or apply EPA approved fungicides Avoid soil that is poorly drained Good ventilation. The use of a recommended fungicide. Watering with chamomile tea.
Phytophthora	The disease appears during the fruiting and flowering stage resulting in tiny oil like  spot on leaf surface resulting in cottoning and blackening of plants. Infected areas are often covered with a white mould. Plants often wilt and die leaving brown stalks and leaves Rotting of fruits, roots and crowns.	Spray copper hydroxy chloride or bordeaux mixture (1%) or metalaxyl MZ (2g/L) or dimethomorph + mancozeb or fosetyl aluminium or azoxystrobin using recommended doses. Destroy severely infected plant parts. An integrated programme of crop rotation, water management, soil management, the use of resistant cultivars and fungicide applications.
Anthracnose Collectotrichum capsici, C. coccodes, C.acutatum	It causes the death of seedlings before emergence. On plant stems, sunken lesions develop which are covered with pink spores. Leaf veins and petioles manifest as long, dark, brick red to purple lesions that later darken. A fruit lesion first appears as small, indefinite, slightly sunken, soaked spots that may enlarge rapidly.	Plant disease-free seeds apply crop rotation where disease hosts such as pepper, beans and cotton should be avoided. Ensure field hygiene; remove and burn infected plant materials. Avoid overhead irrigation when temperatures are low, spray fungicides using recommended doses. Widely recommended fungicide is manganese ethylene bis dithiocarbamate. Some other fungicides include azoxytrobin, tryfloxystrobin, pyraclostrobin Application of plant extract of neem, mahogany and garlic.
Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. pv. lycopersici)	It appears as wilting of young seedlings and mature plants which can be acute when plants are water-stressed. Chlorotic new leaves, wilting, stunting, flower abortion and vascular necrosis.	Sterilize tools with soap solution before use in uninfected crops, sterilize nursery media,  use healthy seeds and transplants. Treat seeds suspected to have the fungi with hot water at temperatures of 50˚C for 25 minutes. Uproot and destroy infected plants, amend poorly drained soils with manure or spray fungicides at recommended doses. Use of chinolytic bacteria. Avoid excessive nitrogen.
Bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas solanacearum)	Premature wilting of leaves and succulent top portions of infected plants which become flaccid and drop. The bacterial ooze can be seen from cut stems when immersed in clean water.	Sterilize media, mulching, sterilize tools with soap solution before use in uninfected crops, avoid using seeds and other plant materials from areas suspected to have the disease, leave infected fields fallow for a period of 1-2 years. Plant clean seeds and transplants and to remove diseased plants.
Cercospora leaf spot	Initially appears as tiny yellow spot on leaf surface leading to increased dark grey spots which spread on entire leaf resulting in dropping of the leaf. Under high humidity, needle-like spores may be seen in the centre of the spots arising from small black fungal tissue.	Spray chlorothalonil or mancozeb or carbendazim at recommended dosages. Treat seed with hot water at 52° C for 30 minutes. Use a seed disinfectant if seed come from infected plants. Rotate crops using a two year rotation period.
Powdery mildew (Laveillu lataurica.)	Symptoms appear as greyish white powdery growth on both the lower and upper leaf surfaces. Young leaves and shoot tips become curled and distorted. Mature leaves have large white patches of fungal growth and colonized tissues eventually die.	Spray fungicides to ensure that crops have well balanced nutrient and water supply. Preferably, sprays of Sulphur and potassium bicarbonate.
Viral diseases	Upward and downward curling of leaves with yellow spot in the middle of leaf and sometimes on fruit. Stunted plant, distorted fruit, wilting, spotted or mottled fruit, stunted plants and excessive leaf drop.	Use resistant seed varieties, grow nursery beds under nylon cover (50 mesh). Spray copper-based fungicides, control insect vectors-aphids and white flies Use of cultural practices: Cleaning tools  Crop rotation  Early detection and removal of infected plant. Good sanitation practices. Smokers should disinfect hands before gardening.

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Market Information on Chilli Pepper

Chilli Pepper is produced in Ghana all-year round. The crop grows well in all the Regions of the country. Chilli Pepper is currently the leading vegetable export from Ghana with the main markets being the U.K., France, the Netherlands and Germany. With expertise in the production and marketing of the product, there are a good number of producer-exporters of the product who have access to a large pool of out-growers from whom they buy quality chilli pepper for export. 

The market window for Ghana (March-September) coincides with the European growing season in southern Europe, which makes it less beneficial to the local producer and exporter. According to GhanaVeg, the import prices of Ghana chillies in the UK have become higher in recent years compared to India and Uganda.  

To export chilli pepper to the European markets, one needs to meet buyer requirements. This is divided into:

• Musts (for example, legal requirements), which must be met in order to enter the market.
• Common requirements (which have been implemented by most competitors), with which you should comply in order to stay abreast of the market; and
• Niche market requirements, for specific segments.

There are also legal and non-legal necessities that a product must comply with in order to market your chilli pepper in Europe. These include minimum pesticide residues, quality, size, packaging, labelling and compliance with phyto-sanitary requirements.  

Beside the above requirements, GlobalGAP. is an additional certification that is required for chilli exporters from Ghana. GlobalGAP. is a pre-farm-gate standard that covers the whole agricultural production process (excluding processing). GlobalGAP. requirement depends on the destination country, market channel and market conditions. Other food safety management systems that can be required are BRC (British Retail Consortium), IFS (International Food Standard), FSSC22000 (Food Safety System Certification) and SQF (Safety Quality Food Programme). The above systems are supplemental to GlobalGAP and are recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative.

The chilli pepper domestic market is disorganised with the major market in the Southern sector and the Northern sector to a lesser extent. There are failures in market information and weak supply chain linkages in that, knowledge of market trends and what the market demands is mainly confined to large buyer/exporters. A few processors (Taimako Queen and GAF in the North and EKA Processing Company in Sunyani) exist however they do not, individually or in the aggregate, operate at a large enough scale to drive the market or supply chain.  

Ghana exports a little amount of chili to neighboring nations. However, because the majority of regional commerce is informal, data is limited owing to underreporting and lax enforcement of trade restrictions at the border (van Asselt et al. 2018). According to some estimates, chili imports account for less than 2% of domestic consumption (Gonzalez et al. 2016; van Asselt et al. 2018), while a minor growth in imports in recent years has been ascribed to demand from supermarkets in metropolitan areas that serve middle-income consumers.

The graph below shows that there has been a reduction in the quantity of dried pepper exported from 2014 to 2019, . In value terms, export of dried pepper from Ghana sky-rocked to US $ 720,911 in 2012. Between 2015 and 2020, the trend pattern indicated a decrease in exports. This is due to the inability of Ghana to meet all the necessary EU phyto-sanitary requirements for export

Figure 1: Export of dried pepper

GEPA,2021

The United States of America (USA) is the world’s biggest market (60%) of chilli pepper. It is evident that there is a great market opportunity for chilli pepper exporters in the country if all the phyto-sanitary conditions are met.

Figure 2: Market destinations for Cilli pepper

Some companies who are into export of fresh chilli from Ghana are Maphlix Trust Ghana Limited, Param Farms, Delon Farms and Trosky farms.  

 

Price Trends

Prices of chilli pepper in the wholesale markets from 2016 to 2018 are highest in March and April whiles the lowest is observed in October. Processors can take advantage when prices are the lowest in order to gain more during the dry seasons.

Figure 3: Average Wholesale prices

 

Some Exporters of Chilli

Company	Export Destination	Address
BisaWorld Limited	ECOWAS Market (Dried Powdered Pepper)	B461 Sanyo Road, Industrial Area Opposite PZ Cussons Tema, Ghana Contact person: Milicent Koranteng  Phone: +233 (0) 266033312; +233 (0) 266033309; +233 (0) 266033339 Website:http://www.bisaworld.com
Joekopan Enterprise	Germany United Kingdom	P.O. Box 1063 Osu-Accra. Contact person: Mrs Juliana Opuni Phone::+233(0)508126284 Website:http://joekopangh.com
Srighan Farms Limited	United Kingdom Sri Lanka	K. Kugathasan Phone: +233 (0) 244 717 013 G. Satheesan Phone: + 233 (0) 246 881 154; +233 (0) 302 412 6845 Contact person: K. Kugathasan Website:http://www.srighanfarms.com/

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Enterprise Budget for Chilli Pepper

Estimated Budget 1 Ha per Cycle

Activity	Total Cost (GH¢)
Nursery	2,084.72
Land Preparation	6,165.00
Transplanting & Fertilizer Application	300.00
Fertilizer Application	4,038.00
Pest and Disease Control	4,207.95
Irrigation	2,475.00
Harvesting	3,750.00
Total Production Cost	23, 020.67
Contingency 5%	1,151.03
Grand Total Production Cost/Ha/Cycle	24, 171.70

 

Revenue Breakdown

Revenue
Average Fruits (Kg/Ha)	25.00 tonnes =25,000.00 kg
Percentage loss (10%) /Kg	2,500.00 kg
Average yield/(Kg/Ha)	22,500.00 Kg
Packaging in box (6kg)	3, 750.00 boxes
Farm gate price per 6kg box	GH¢ 15.00
Total Revenue	GH¢ 56,250.00
Total Production Cost	GH¢ 24,171.70
Gross Income	GH¢ 32,078.30

   

Cost Summary

Fixed Cost and Overheads	GH¢
Amortization-Irrigation and other equipment	2,500.00
Staff Cost	4,000.00
Total Fixed Cost	6,500.00
Net Income	25,578.30

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Key Policies and Programmes

Key Policies, Projects and Programmes in the Sub-Sector

There is no specific policy for chilli pepper, however, chilli pepper is one of the priority vegetable crops under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture flagship programme ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ (PFJ) campaign and the current national development strategy, Investing for Food and Jobs (IFJ) where pepper producers also benefit from the government fertilizer subsidy initiative.  

Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Standards Authority and Food and Drugs Authority, provide export trade support by facilitating the promotion and development on non-traditional export goods (including chilli), the development and enforcement of standardisation and food quality control, including the enforcement of international quality standards.  

The Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP) through Government of Ghana’s policy to commercialise vegetable cultivation in the Savannah belt identified chilli pepper as one of the vegetables which was supported under the programme. Improved chilli varieties, Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) strategies and greenhouse drying, and solar blanching techniques were introduced to the Northern Sector by SARI.

The Market-Oriented Agriculture Programme (MoAP) implemented by GIZ has been analysing and intervening in the chilli value chain.  IFDC and GIZ have also promoted some interventions geared at integrating smallholder farmers into the domestic and international markets that enable farmers to increase the supply of raw materials and also participate in adding value activities to strengthen their position in the chain.  

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Chilli Pepper Growing Seasons and Cropping Cycle

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Agriculture in Africa Media LBG| Email: Ghana@agricinafrica.com