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Spicy Business
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Since 2008, more than 280 Ecuadorian farmers cultivate two new varieties of chilli peppers besides Tabasco chilli. Proaji Cia. Ltda. buy all their production which is exported to USA, England, Germany, Japan and others.
Farmers usually arrive with plastic tanks loaded with Tabasco pepper mash which are received in Proaji’s processing plant where they are weighted and registered in the company storage.
Other farmers arrive with fresh chilli peppers which are deposited in the reception area. They are weighted, quality controlled and washed before they pass to the process area. Quality Control Manager handles a receipt with the kilograms registration so farmers can claim their payment according to this volume.
Most of the agriculture farmers who work with Proaji dedicate to the chilli production small spaces of the land they own and they combine chilli pepper crop with other products like African palm, pineapple, yucca, papaya, malanga, maracuyá, among others.
Proaji gives to farmers free chilli peppers seeds as well as technical assistance to manage an efficient crop. During the seeding, farmers do not require bigger effort. However, during the harvest period, they need at least 10 people which are frequently selected among relatives, neighbours and hired workers. Also during the harvest, farmers have learnt they do not have to put their hands in the nose, eyes and mouth before washing them carefully many times: "The itching is unbearable".
You can recognize the spicy aroma in a distance of two meters. One of Proaji’s farmers said that producing chilli has an advantage: It is good for health because he’s never got sick with the flu.
Proaji’s production during 2008 was 800.000 kilograms and the goal for this year 2009 is to obtain 1,2 million kilograms, including the production of the 35 other farmers located in the city of Piura in North Peru.
Today, company has obtained ISO22000 certification so they have become very careful in the hygiene of all the processes. All workers wear gloves, masks, coif, boots and plastic uniform so they protect themselves and to avoid a possible contamination of the product. Also, Plant Manager takes samples of chilli peppers that have black stains which are immediately discarded and sold to producers that elaborate biol, a natural repellent for organic crops.
Selected fruit is processed in three different product lines: mash/puree, in brine or dehydrated. Most of the habanero chilli pepper is put in the dehydrator to be powdered once it is already dried. Meanwhile, jalapeño chilli pepper is mostly used in brine so it is dived in recipients with water, salt, calcium chloride and acetic acid.
Proaji’s products are mainly exported to the United States with 86% of participation, meanwhile only 5% stays for local consumption and the rest goes to other countries.
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