Market Bag: Scotch bonnet pepper surges to $3,000 per pound
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The price of scotch bonnet pepper continues to climb at the Coronation Market, with vendors selling the product for an eye-watering $3,000 per pound this weekend, leaving shoppers stunned and questioning whether the beloved spice is worth the heat.
Vendors attribute the price surge to the disruption in supply caused by Hurricane Melissa which devastated sections of western Jamaica — including major farming regions such as St Elizabeth — on October 28.
One customer, who reluctantly purchased the product, told Observer Online that he has reached his limit.
“If it goes any higher, I won’t be buying it,” he warned, a scenario vendors say is very possible given current conditions.
Tomatoes have also been affected by the market pressures, rising from $400 to $600 per pound this week.
