Black Pepper Farming

Raking Profits from Black Pepper Farming

By Henrylito Tacio

Black pepper (Piper nigrum linn.), known locally as paminta or pimiento is one of those neglected crops grown in the Philippines. It is used extensively by food manufacturers as a seasoning agent in the preparation of both exquisite and everyday dishes. As a spice, it makes food tste better. It is essential in local dishes like “kilawin,””lauya,” “mami,” “pnasit,” “adobo,” “mechado,” and many other preparations.

Unknown to many Filipino farmers, black pepper – being a tropical plant, – can be grown profitably in many areas of the country where the soil is well-drained and fertile. It grows better under partial shade than in an open field, a characteristic that makes the plant good for backyard farming. It can laso be grown between coffee and cacao trees. Most Black pepper farms are found in Batangas, Lagauna, Quezon, Negros  Occidental, Zamboanga and Davao.

“There are four varieties of black pepper.” Says the Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBLRC)  foundation, referring to large-leafed, small-leafed, tall , and short. “ You can plant any of these varieties in your farm or backyard.”

According to the MBRLC, black pepper is a creeping plant. “The plant needs posts to climb on,” the center states. Commonly used support trees – which are planted ahead of time- include “ipil-ipil,” “madre de cacao,” and “dapdap.”  The support s must be at least three to four meters high, 2.5 meters between rows.

Here are more tips from the MBRLC on how to grow black pepper:

Ways of propagation

Black pepper can be propagated with cutting or with seeds. The latter is not recommended for commercial purposes. But either way, it’s necessary to have apropagation bed where the cuttings can be rooted or the seeds germinated and nursed to transplanting age. The seedling bed should be of fine, rich soil and should be located in a shaded area. It should be kept constantly moist – not too wet and not too dry – At times until the plants are ready for  transplanting.

For seed propagation, harvest only the berries that are orange or red in color. Pick only from vigorous, disease-free plants of the desired variety. It is a common practice to place the seeds in a cloth bag and soak this in water fro two to three days before sowing. Sow the seeds in the bed six inches apart in rows and cover with fine soil about two inches thick.

The seedlings are ready for transplanting when these are about one-year-old. In transplanting when these are about one-year old. In transplanting, it is advisable to retain as much of the soil clinging to the roots as possible. A reminder: “Plants are raised from seeds grow more slowly and require more care than plants grown from cuttings, “MBRLC reminds.

Cuttings for propagation should be taken from vigorous, heavy-yielding plants which are at the peak of production. They should be cut just below the node and 20 inches or more in length with plenty of roots at their joints. “Remove side branches,” MBRLC advise, “because they don’t climb but sprawl.”

Insert the cuttings into the soil of the bed in a slanting position with half their length buried. Cuttings are ready for transplanting when they show vigorous growth and are fully rooted. In transplanting, the seedlings should be” balled”or provided with plenty of soil clinging to their roots.

Black pepper can also be propagated by means of marcotting. Here are the steps: From the tip of a balck pepper branch, look for the node with whitish aerial roots that is less than a centimeter long. Enclose the node in a container. Tie it securely to the support. A tin can, waxed  paper cup, or a plastic bag can be used as container.

Fill the container with fine, dry humus or sandy loam soil. Pour  in a little at a time until it reaches the length of the internode just above the node to be marcotted. Water the marcot lightly. Don’t press the soil against the delicate roots.

After a month, cut the young marcot from the mother plant. Cut the stem very close to the container using sharp pruning shears or a knife. Place the newly cut marcot in a bigger container such as a clay pot or a plastic bag. Do not disturb the delicate roots. Then, harden the marcot by placing it in a partial shade for three to four months. Don’t water it excessively.

Transplanting

Transplanting the rooted seedlings at the start of the rainy season. Plant two or three seedlings a few centimeters away from the base of each support tree. Before placing the plants in the prepared holes, carefully remove the plastic bags holding the plants and soil.

Management

Black peeper should not be allowed to grow tall. As the vines climb the supports, the tops should be pulled down as they reach the desired height of two to three meters. Every three months, apply manure or compost to each hill to maintain plant growth. In addition, be sure to control pests and diseases attacking the plants. Weeding must be employed ,too.

 

Harvesting

Black pepper starts to bear fruits as early as the first year after planting. The fruits are green at first, turning yellow and then red and then black. When they mature. Generally, the first harvest of black berries – which varies from one-half to one kilogram per plant – is on its third year. Full production come sin the sixth or seventh year (the yield is approximately 1.5 kilograms per plant) and the plant produces continuously for 15 0r more years.

The fruits on a bunch do not all mature at the same time. Backyard growing, harvest only the matured ones and leave the green immature berries to be harvested later on. In commercial plantation however, the operation should be delayed until almost all fruits on a bunch are matured. Then the whole bunch could be gathered in a simple operation instead of picking the individual fruits one by one as they mature.

After harvesting, dry the berries immediately under the sunlight until they become black and wrinkled. The ideal remaining moisture content of black pepper is 12 percent. Properly dried berried can be stored for long period of time.

Unknowingly, black pepper is sold in the market in two forms – black and white. If the latter is desired, select the best and ripest berries and submerge them in water for one to tow weeks to let them soften. After soaking, allow the berries to ferment before removing the outer hull.  After doing so, grind them and presto you have the white pepper.

source: Marid Agri