People in the west don’t realize how big the spicy food market is. Excluding Mexico, gastronomic culture in America is quite conservative regarding flavors containing spicy ingredients.
The Dominican Republic is no exception to this rule despite having a big production and a diverse offer of peppers, which includes: Bell peppers from greenhouses, chilis and, best of all, Jamaican hot peppers. Among these, only the bell pepper has an important local market in the country.
Nevertheless, the industry is focusing on the overseas market including the Netherlands, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Belgium, United States and Canada, which are the main destinations for exports.
Exporters says they sell three boxes of peppers per box of eggplant they ship. It’s an indicator of how important the peppers are in the daily diet of the consumers of oriental vegetables in these markets.
In 2017, Dominican Republic has had an active interaction with the foreign markets, with the specialized Trade Fair Agroalimentaria 2017, and with the visit of multiple importers from Europe and North America. It is not a coincidence that one important need in their proform orders is the hot peppers, specially the red Jamaican pepper.
Knowing that, some exporters have been making arrangements with their growers and on their own lands, in order to guarantee a high-quality offer combined with consistency for regular shipments worldwide.
Companies like F&B Export and Cayena Export, are good examples of smart responsive actions taken. Both companies are managing multiple plots distributed in different parts of the country in order to mitigate weather risks and ensure consistent availability for the high season coming soon in the next few weeks.
The Export Quality Program (USDA-IESC) is helping these and other exporters in multiple initiatives such as getting certifications and improving their internal inspection processes, aimed at complying with the international market requirements.
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Emmanuel Guzmán