THE CARIBBEAN PERSPECTIVE
From a Caribbean perspective, hot pepper is of special interest as it is seen as an export crop with considerable potential in Europe (especially the United Kingdom and the Netherlands) and North America.

West Indian hot peppers are considered an elite member of the chilli pepper family and fetch premium prices in these markets (Cooper et al 1993).

THE EXPORT MARKET
In general, both the US and UK are undergoing a consumer trend that favours greater use of spicy foods. As a result, there is greater consumption of hot peppers in the US and UK, as mainstream consumers develop stronger taste for ethnic cuisine (Medlicott 1990).

Importers in the Netherlands and Germany, on the other hand, report very little crossover appeal with respect to hot peppers. The relatively smaller markets in those countries are driven almost completely by demand from ethnic groups.

US Market Trends
Produce Business reports that the American public is increasingly consuming spicier foods. This is the result of several trends, the most obvious and well documented of which is the popular advent of Mexican and other ethnic food dining establishments.

A lesser-known trend appears to be the use of hot spices and ingredients to give more flavouring to relatively "dull" tasting foods such as fat-free prepared foods.

With 99% of total imports, Mexico is the dominant supplier of fresh hot peppers to the US. Although its relative position has not changed in the past four years, its exports have grown 47% by volume, from 87,779 MTs to 128,920 MTs. Suppliers whose combined exports totaled less than 1% of the market in 1998 included Canada, India, the Netherlands, the Dominican Republic, St Lucia and others.

UK Market Trends
With its large and diverse ethnic population, the UK possesses one of the most developed ethnic food markets in the EU. As in the US, the ethnic population in the UK has driven demand for hot peppers and importers claim that their crossover into the mainstream consumer market is both real and sustained. Aside from exposure to ethnic dishes (Indian, Caribbean, Latin American) in their own country, other factors that have led to this development include international travel abroad and exposure to new ingredients via popular gourmet television programmes.

Importers contend that varieties in demand among the ethnic immigrant groups are those types originating in their countries of origin. Typically, buyers will bring in Birds Eye's from Thailand for Asian consumers, Jalapeños for Hispanic buyers, and Scotch Bonnets from Central America and the Caribbean for the West Indian groups. One importer claims to have seen his fresh hot pepper business increase by one-third due to growing demand by both mainstream and minority consumers.

It is also worthwhile to note from statistics that over the 1994-97 period, the UK appears to fulfilling an increasing portion of fresh hot pepper imports from major EU suppliers such as the Netherlands and Spain, as opposed to developing country suppliers such as Kenya.

The dramatic increase in UK fresh hot pepper imports is largely based on the performance of its two largest EU suppliers, the Netherlands and Spain. These countries together accounted for nearly 50% of hot pepper imports by volume in 1997, versus 33% in 1994. Both countries produce a variety of peppers, with the most popular being the 3 red and green "finger" or Cayenne types.

Other notable suppliers include Kenya, the UK's largest non-European supplier which held 13% of the market in 1997, versus 27% in 1994. Ghana, which has been steadily increasing fresh hot pepper exports to the UK over the period, shipped 820 MTs in 1997 making them the UK's second largest non-EU supplier.

St. Lucia's Scotch Bonnet peppers have grown tenfold over the period, to reach 578 MTs in 1997. Jordan, which the Fresh Produce Journal reports is an increasingly important off-season supplier of fresh vegetables to the EU, exported over 500 MTs of fresh hot peppers to the UK in 1997.

Regional Market Trends