Chili/hot pepper’s cultivation dates back to the colonial period, and it was introduced to the Moroccan Kingdom in the 1920s. Hot pepper is marketed on the national level as well as the local one, where it is consumed fresh similar to vegetables. It can be packaged as a powder, dried, or made into sauce or “harissa” to enrich the taste of several dishes.
Exports
(In all forms, in tonnes per year) The data are up to the end of April 2021.
Hot pepper is characterised by its intense spiciness, which may surpass 20,000 on the Scoville scale. Its pulp is thin with a distinct aroma, and the fruit itself varies between 10 and 14 cm in length. Hot peppers are green and turn red as they ripen. It is in the Mohammedia region where most of the cultivation is done on an area of about 60ha. The annual production of hot pepper is 720 tonnes.
Mohammedia’s natural environment, particularly its salinity, suggests that if cultivated beyond this geographical area, the distinct pungency and aroma of the product are no longer found. Therefore, the hot pepper has earned its highly appreciated characteristics thanks to this microclimate and a valley-enclosed agricultural area.
