To improve the Malagasy economy, various organizations and promoters work since 1992 for the development of the cultivation and exploitation of spice plants and essential oils. In addition, internationally, this market has gained new momentum.

Madagascar was among the countries producing spices such pink peppercorn and essential oils. However, the international market fluctuates a lot, so from 1984 to 1989, the price of pepper kept decreasing from $ 6500 to $ 4100 and its export followed this fall. In view of this situation, a diversification of our products would be an asset and a means of competing with market demand. Indeed, the pink peppercorn could be taken as an example among so many other possibilities of diversification. Although introduced plant, the climate of Madagascar allows its installation well.

Pink Peppercorn native to Reunion Island and South America

The pink peppercorn or “Schinus terebenthifolius”, is in the family of Anacardiaceae. It is a tree that can reach 5 to 6m in height, native to Central and South America in the Chaco region of Peru. We can also find pink peppercorn spontaneously in the coastal thickets of Reunion Island. Hence, its name “Poivre de Bourbon” or “Christams berry tree” in Florida. Various names have been attributed to this plant such as “False Pepper”, “Red Pepper”, “China Coffee”, etc. In fact, the expression pink berry was now used along with the bourbon origin. In English, these fruits are called “Pink peppercorn”.
The fruits are berry-shaped, green in color which turns pink at the harvest stage and changes to red at the end of ripening. The berries have a slightly sweet flavor and a peppery smell.
Pink peppercorn are relatively easy to grow on well-drained soils.

How and when are Pink peppercorn harvested ?

Harvest :
The pink peppercorn harvest is done during the dry season, if it rains, we stop the operation.

Destemming:
The harvest is done by bunch. At harvest, the proportion of pink peppercorn berries maturity on a cluster is as follows:
– 50% in the lower part consists of red grains
– 25% in the middle by grains that are still green but already mature
– and the 25% in the apical part by unripe green grains.

The post-harvest treatment itself:
The treatment of the pink berries is carried out at two levels because of the fragility of these fruits:
1st level is located on the plantation itself
2nd level is located at the packing station.

How is the pink peppercorn drying ?

After harvesting, the bunches are dried in shade shelters with direct sunburn for 12 hours for 02 days. The bunches are spread out to a thickness of 10cm. They should be reversed every 2 to 3 hours. Another method of pre drying was carried out with wire suspended for all the bunches for more than 02 days in the shade.

How is the pink peppercorn grained ?

Graining :
The graining of the pink peppercorn is done by hand to remove the red grains intended for the 1st quality of the pink berries. These red beans should be weighed and dried on the shelves. The rest was stored in bins in the hangar in the shade. After 3 days, the 25% in the middle part will turn red, and the rest will already be the sorting gap. It’s already a pre sorting.

The shelves filled with pink peppercorn or pink berries (approximately 4kg / shelves) will be transferred by vans to the packing station.

How is the pink peppercorn sorted and packed ?

Drying itself:

A kerosene dryer was used with a temperature of 60 ° C for 02 hours. The shelves are placed in the dryer. Every 15 minutes, they must be turned over.

Sorting:

The pink peppercorn are manually sorted done manually by women with valves wrapped in woolen fabrics and bird feathers. Grains with tail (part of the peduncle), grains with breaks and various particles are removed. After sorting, the selected grains are spread out in shelves to be dried again for 1 hour at 60 ° C and cooled for 30 minutes.
Packaging:

The pink peppercorn are immediately packaged in plastic bags hermetically sealed by a heat sealer. They are put in a box containing 12kg of fruit or 6 plastic bags of 2kg.

How is the pink peppercorn processed ?

It is important to note the percentage of seed maturation on each tree. If the bunch reaches 50% of the pink peppercorn berries, we can start harvesting. In the case of the east coast of Madagascar, the start of ripening is in mid-April. This situation brings us to a harvest spread out until June. A woman can harvest 4 to 6 kg gross per day.
– Harvesting of pink berries requires the installation of baskets, small secateurs, metal sieve shelves, shade shelters, sheds with for storage and above all a lot of labor.
– The red color of pink peppercorn is related to the microclimate of the Tamatave region (Madagascar).
– Drying is an essential step for the post-harvest treatment of the pink berries. This will require the installation of a shed in the plantation to avoid bad weather (drying in the shade).