kali mirch vines fruiting, want to know picking stage and how white pepper is made
How is black pepper harvested and cured into black versus white pepper?
JJoseph Kuruvilla8mo ago · 310 views
6 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓8mo ago
For black pepper, pick the spikes when one or two berries on a spike start turning red or yellow, meaning fully mature green berries, then separate, briefly blanch in hot water, and sun dry until the skin wrinkles and turns black, usually several days. Blanching gives a more uniform dark colour and faster drying. For white pepper you use fully ripe berries, soak or ret them in water so the outer skin softens and is rubbed off, then dry the pale inner seed. White pepper fetches more but needs clean water and care to avoid bad smell. Aim for proper dryness and clean handling to meet grade. Confirm current moisture and quality norms with the Spices Board or your KVK.
SSaji8mo ago
The quick hot water dip before drying really does make the colour even and black, and it dries a day or two faster. I started doing it after seeing a neighbour get a better grade.
TThankachan8mo ago
Dry it on a clean sheet or mat, not bare ground, the buyers downgrade lots with dust and grit mixed in. A clean tarpaulin and proper dryness got me a better rate than the dusty floor dried lots.
JJose Cherian7mo ago
If you try white pepper, use clean running water for the retting or it picks up a foul smell that buyers reject. The first time I retted in stagnant water the whole lot smelled bad. White fetches more but it is fussy, so weigh the extra work.
BBaby John7mo ago
Pick when one or two berries on the spike start to colour, do not wait for the whole spike to ripen or the early ones drop and shatter. I lost berries the year I waited too long. That one or two colouring berry on the spike is the signal for me now.
VVarkey7mo ago
Dry it right through until the skin is fully wrinkled and the berry is hard, half dried pepper goes mouldy in the bag and the buyer cuts the rate. I spread it thin and turn it. Proper dryness and storing it dry kept my lot clean till sale.