Zambia Agribusiness Society

General Production: •       Chilli does well in warm seasons of the year. Optimum temperatures for growing are 20ºC to 30ºC. •       Popular Chilli varieties are Long Red Cayenne, Long Slim Cayenne, Serrano, Spitfire and Thai Chilli. •       A well-managed Chilli crop should yield 2.5tons Green or 750kg Dry per Lima. Harvest may extend for several months but is generally discontinued after 2 months when bulk of the crop has been picked. Land Preparation/Soil Type: •       Deep well drained loamy soils with a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5 is ideal. •       Effective rooting depth is 60cm. •       Plough and harrow to a 60cm fine tilth seedbed. Planting and Transplanting: •       Sow directly by drilling in the farrows 1 to 2cm deep or raise seedlings in nursery beds and transplant 6 to 8 weeks later. •       Transplant during the cool part of the day (early morning or late afternoon) to avoid wilting of the plants. •       Space the plants at 30cm between plants and 75cm between rows to give a

Basically, chillies are most important and worthwhile commercial crop that plays a vital role in the world economy since it is a widely grown spice among all the spice crops. Usually, they are also known as “chili pepper” throughout the world. Generally, this crop is mostly grown to obtain the fruits to use them as a major ingredient of many kinds of curries, chutneys, and also as a culinary. They are used as a spice, vegetables, sauces, condiments, fruits and in preparation for various pickles. Chillies are so popular that they are being used by everyone, all over the world. These are mostly eaten for their excellent spicy taste and flavoured pungency. The active element “Capsaicin” one kind of alkaloid present is chillies is also extracted from them and is used as a medicinal ingredient. Currently, commercial chilli farming is pretty successful and anyone can earn an excellent profit with instant income because there is always a great demand in the local and international market.