Bell
Pepper Production
Bell peppers are a crop that lend themselves well to smallscale and part-time
farming operations. Various markets exist for growers with small-acreage
farms (those with less than 5 acres), and the multiple mature fruit colors
(red, yellow, orange, purple, and brown) make it easier for
growers to find niche markets. Many field operations, such
as land preparation, planting, and harvesting, can be custom
hired, and any equipment owned by the grower can be used
for other purposes.
Peppers (Capsicum annuum), both sweet and hot, originated in Central and South America. Columbus found them growing in the West Indies, but they were not introduced into Europe until the 16th century. Jamaican farmers cultivated four types of hot peppers before 1770 (cherry, scotch bonnet, bell, and finger). According to U.S. Department of Agriculture records, commercial bell peppers were first produced in the southern United States in 1925. Today, seed companies distribute several hundred varieties of both sweet and hot peppers.
Most of the bell peppers harvested in the
U.S. are sold as fresh produce. In 1998, the U.S.
produced 56,700 acres of bell peppers with a value
of $483 million. (USDA Statistical Services bases
value of production on total acres harvested
times average price.) Pennsylvania produced 4,000 acres,
valued at $24 million.
Marketing
Fresh market bell peppers are produced in Pennsylvania
from the first of June to the end of October. Pepper cultivars
recommended for Pennsylvania are listed in Table 1. Fresh
market peppers usually are sold loose in bulk containers. Six
basic marketing alternatives are available to the pepper
grower: wholesale markets, cooperatives, local retailers
(grocery stores), roadside stands, pick-your-own operations,
and processing firms.
In wholesale marketing, producers often contract with shippers to market and ship their peppers for a predetermined price. If you do not use a contractor and ship your peppers to the wholesale market yourself, your product will be subject to the greatest price fluctuations.
Marketing
cooperatives generally use a daily pooled cost and price, which spreads price fluctuations over all participating producers. Local retailers are another possible market, but you must take the time to contact produce managers and provide high-quality peppers when stores require them.
College ofAgricultural Sciences Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension Roadside stands (either your own or another grower’s) and pick-your-own operations provide opportunities to receive higher than wholesale prices for your peppers, but you may have some additional expenses for advertising, building and maintaining a facility, and providing service to your customers.
With pick-your-own operations, you save on harvest costs, but you must be willing to accept some waste. Depending on your location, processors may or may not be a marketing option. Processors are less likely to contract with small-acreage growers.
For more information on marketing,
consult Agricultural Alternatives: Fruit and Vegetable
Marketing for Small-scale and Part-time Growers.
This publication was developed by the Small-scale and
Part-time Farming Project at Penn State with support from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Extension Service.
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