How to Start Pepper Farming in Nigeria

Pepper farming is one of the most profitable businesses in Nigeria and other countries of the world. Just like tomato farming and cucumber farming, pepper farming can be very lucrative

Pepper is one of the most important spices used in making most Nigerian food. There is hardly a complete meal without the use of at least one variety of pepper. This makes pepper production an important area of crop production in Nigeria.

The Market for Pepper Production

Rising domestic demand, coupled with a drop in exports, continues to set the trend for the pepper market and pepper production. The main suppliers of the commodity to the global market are Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Brazil; while the major destinations for its export are the US, Europe, Japan and Australia

The price of pepper in Nigeria has been subjected to seasonal fluctuation over time. In South-Western Nigeria, pepper has been massively conveyed from Northern Nigeria despite the fact that it is also grown in the South West. This indicates that there is a great and urgent need for an increase in pepper production in Nigeria, especially in South-Western Nigeria.

The domestic demand for pepper has increased over time which has resulted in the decline in the quantity of pepper being exported in several producing countries. This signifies that there is a need for an increase in the supply of pepper to make up for the increase in the domestic demand and to also give room for exportation.

It is worthy of note that despite the production level of pepper in Nigeria, pepper is still being imported. A general increase in pepper yield in Nigeria could be enhanced by the cultivation of improved cultivars, and intensification of cultural practices.

Nursery Preparation: In pepper production, the soil used for raising nursery should be rich, well-drained and free of diseases and insect pests. Make seedbeds with topsoil mixed with compost (30 x 45 x 8 cm) on nursery beds or trays. Leave an upper space of about 20cm for watering while using trays. Beds should be about 1meter long with an inter-row space of about 1m also. 

Bed Fumigation/Heat Treatment: Treat nursery soil mixture with fumigant to kill pests, fungi, weeds, etc. in the soil. VAPAM could be used at the rate of 1 liter to 20 liters of water per bed of 1 m x 10 m. Wet soil heavily to a depth of 15 cm and cover with palm fronds when used. Leave a space of about 9-10 days after fumigation before sowing seeds.

Heat treatment is an alternative to bed fumigation. It is done by burning trash on the bed and then removing the ash.

Sowing: Water the beds about 14hours before sowing. Make drills of 5-10 cm apart across the bed and sow about 100 seeds per drill. Cover lightly. Thin the seedlings to 1 per 2.5cm of drill 15–20 days after sowing. Alternately holes can be made at 4 x 4 cm apart on the bed and 3–4 seeds dropped in each hole. The seedlings are later thinned to one per hole. Similarly, seeds can also be drilled or planted in specific spacing (4 cm x 4 cm) in the tray.

Shading: Protect seedlings from the hot sun and heavy rains with the use of palm fronds. Remove half of the fronds 30 days after sowing and the rest 40 days later so as to harden the seedlings before transplanting.

Watering: Water the seedlings daily when the sun is not out preferably in the morning. Reduce the quantity and frequency of watering during the hardening of seedlings. Avoid excessive watering as it makes susceptible to diseases such as damping off.

Land Preparation: Beds could be of any length but preferably with a width of 1meter. The required land preparation includes plowing, harrowing bed preparation should be done 7 days before transplanting.

Transplanting: Plant using 70cm inter-row spacing and 50cm Intra row spacing. Water the seed tray and beds in the nursery, after which you could uproot the seedlings. Two rows may be arranged on a bed. 

Fertilizer Application: A complete fertilizer such as N.P.K. 15:15:15 can be carried out about 2 weeks after transplanting at the rate of one matchbox fertilizer to two plants. Draw a circle round the base of the plant and carefully spread the fertilizer in the groove. Cover lightly with soil. The circle should be reasonably far from the stem of the plant. A distance of about 4 –7cm is all right.

The second application should be performed at 50% flowering. The application rate is one matchbox per plant. Water the plant immediately after applying the fertilizer. The most important pest of pepper is fruit fly.

Harvesting: Pepper is usually harvested red or as it starts to turn red except for bird pepper which can also be harvested green because it may be consumed green for some special delicacies. Harvesting can be done once or twice a week. It is usually harvested into baskets and sacks.

Yield: Pepper production can produce a high return once it is properly cultivated, managed, and free from pest and disease attack. The production of pepper in Nigeria is profitable and economical.

Pepper fruit weight often declines from point of first harvest. The fruit yield of pepper is influenced more by the number of fruits and the fruit weight.

Disease and Insect Control:The seedlings should be sprayed regularly with pesticides like Ambush and fungicide diaphane for the control of insects and diseases before they are transplanted.

Storage: Pepper can be dried and stored in sacks. Dried pepper has a longer shelf life than fresh pepper. Dried pepper can be further processed by grounding it into powdery form. This powdered pepper can be easily added to food, either during or after cooking. Fresh pepper can also be stored in the house in a cool dry place for about a week.

Get our Practical Guide on Pepper Farming in Nigeria. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every aspect of Pepper Farming in Nigeria, from understanding the crop to marketing your harvest. 

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