Portmore’s hot weather ripe for pepper

At 250 acres, the farm operation under the supervision of farm manager, Joseph ‘Freddy’ Marshall is in a constant state of activity, with hot peppers, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes and bell (sweet) peppers cultivated on a rotational basis.

When The Gleaner visited recently, reaping of Scotch Bonnet and sweet peppers, as well as cucumbers, were winding down at the front section of the farm, while some distance to the back, West Indian Red peppers were being transplanted, and the pumpkins were looking good.

The land leased by Vijay Smith from Daniel Bajoo off the Dunbeholden Road in Portmore, St Catherine, needs to have different crops ready for market right throughout the year to meet the contract demands of GraceKennedy Limited.

As we watched the tractor going through the rows at a snail’s pace, Marshal explained that as the wheels rotate, a device punches two sets of holes in the soil, depositing liquid fertiliser simultaneously. Two workers (suppliers) seated on either side at the back of the vehicle deposit a seedling beside each hole where four other workers, walking behind, place them into the holes and ensure that they are properly planted.

It is hot, back-breaking work and some of the labourers find ingenious ways to protect themselves from the scorching sun.

But Marshall explains that the consistently good weather in Portmore, which has long been dubbed the Sunshine City, is good for the peppers.

In fact, it was the persistent rains in St Mary which forced Smith to relocate some of his operations to St Catherine.

Ideal conditions

“Right now, rain a wash weh St Mary and here you have this beautiful day – ideal conditions for pepper,” he exclaimed.

When it comes to the winter or cold time, this causes the pepper plants to shed their leaves, which means they are then unable to facilitate the uptake of sunlight which is so necessary for photosynthesis, the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesise nutrients from carbon dioxide and water.

This stunts the development of the plants, which then fail to bear to their full potential. With the pumpkin vines thriving and another 50 acres of West Indian Red peppers to be planted, Marshall has a lot on his plate, but with a dedicated cadre of farmworkers, he seems well up to the task.