Brazil has organized the -Pepper Day- on 29th March 2014 as a part of the promotion programme undertaken jointly by the IPC member countries to increase the domestic consumption of pepper in their respective country and to create awareness of the nutritional and medicinal value of the pepper.
The Pepper Day held in Brazil was organized by the EMBRAPA Amazon Orientale, a research agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) along with the other stakeholders including the EMATER, Association of Brazilian Pepper Producers and Exporters (ABEP), SAGRI Para and other agencies with the support from the International Pepper Community, Jakarta. EMBRAPA a research centre based in Para State, the most important and largest pepper growing areas in Brazil, has done a lot of research work for Pepper in the developing the technology on pepper production, processing and post harvest field.
The Capit-o Po-o, Par- State, the largest national producing area was selected as the venue for the first Pepper Day organized by Embrapa. During the event, research findings and best practices for the production system, cooking demonstration of different dishes where pepper is used as one of the main ingredients were also performed and served to the participants.
Among the VIP guests present at the Pepper Day were Mayor of Capitao Poco who officially opened this promotion programme, President of EMATER, Head of Regional Embrapa at Belem, Para State and senior Scientists from EMBRAPA and EMATER who gave the lecturers to the audience.
During the Pepper Day, the organizer also made available Giveaways of the pepper products (whole black / ground pepper, green pepper and white pepper powder etc for the audience. A showcase with seedlings and cuttings of black pepper and the final product were also exhibited, besides other products like perfume samples containing black pepper (oleoresin) one of the ingredients for use in perfumery and beauty products (cosmetics).
Brazil has approximately 20,000 HA of pepper acreage out of which 16,000 HA are located in Para State and some other 4000 HA in other states like Esipirito Santo, Bahia and Maranhao. During the last three years Brazil is reported to produce around 33,000 MT, mainly black pepper and exported the produce to the main importing countries such as European Union, USA, Argentina etc.
According to Dr. Oriel Filguera de Lemos, a Senior Scientist at Embrapa, the pepper sector generates 30,000 direct jobs during the year and at the peak harvesting season even could reach up to 80,000 workers involved. Dr. Oriel further added that EMBRAPA along with other stakeholders in Brazil are also working in providing the training on the Good Agriculture Practices in the main pepper growing areas in Brazil for increasing the productivity and quality of black pepper produced by Brazil.
The IPC wishes to congratulate EMBRAPA Amazone Orientale, particularly Dr. Austrelino and Dr. Oriel, who have initiated and successfully organized the promotion programme, Pepper Day in Brazil.
