Pepper prices shoot up

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ORGANIC peppers have shot up in price this season. One kilo of Almeria-grown California peppers now fetches €1.30, an increase of three per cent on last year.

Only red and yellow peppers are more expensive. The value of green peppers in contrast has fallen to €0.99 per kilo.

California peppers now account for 85 per cent of the organic pepper market in Spain. They are grown in Almeria in the largest volume between October and January. Production plummets in April, when Murcia takes over.

Prices are expected to rise as high as €1.5 per kilo in January. Californian peppers, favoured for their sweetness, are subject to a ‘cartel’ approach across Andalucia. Producers belong to the same group and work together to ensure consistent quality and year round availability for European consumers.