The plant
Pink pepper, schinus terbenthifolius, a plant family Anacardiaceae, is a native of Brazil. It was introduced to Madagascar by the waves of immigration of French settlers during the 20th century, and was surveyed for the first time in 1964, as part of the flora of Madagascar, by PZBT (Tsimbazaza's Zoological and Botanical Park). No common name is assigned.
It is well suited in several regions of Madagascar (Analamanga, Mania, Matsiatra, Eastern, and Bongolava Anosy). It has the scent of pepper releasing its fruit and leaves. It is a plant that can become a tree of 15m tall and 60cm in diameter trunk. In cultivation, it must be regularly trimmed and folded for easy operation and maintenance.
The imparipinnate leaves are persistent. They give off, when wrinkled, pronounced peppery scent, mixed with a subtle smell of turpentine.
The small white flowers give a subtly flavored honey. Flowering takes place from February to April. In Bongolava region, it was observed that it also happens in September and October.
The fruits are berries (the size of pepper) cluster which, when mature, have a scarlet red. The pericarp contains a pulp slightly sweet taste, surrounding the seed (size of a lens). The pulp has a peppery aniseed discreetly scent.
Finally, the plant also provides a fragrant gum used as incense.
The Pink pepper was primarily known in Madagascar as an ornamental plant and economic interest has been recognized that in the early 1990s.
Marketing
TRIMETA AGROFOOD works since 2004 to develop, with Producers Group, the plantation of Pink Pepper, schinus terbenthifolius, in the Bongolava region, Middle West of Madagascar. The Company provides, among other things, advice on plantations, the popularization of culture to the village associations, and supports the marketing of products, while guaranteeing a fixed price with the producer groups.
TRIMETA AGROFOOD carries the product, collected in the Bongolava, to its facilities in Tamatave, where it is treated to meet the requirements of importing customers and international phytosanitary standards. Production undergoes sorting treatment, graduation, heat disinfection, and it is packaged in PP bag of 2 kg net, and then packed in cartons of 10 kg net each. The product is then ready for export.
Note that no chemicals are used, from growing in the fields until the end of the packaging of production for exporting.
“TRIMETA AGROFOOD” exports this product to Japan, Canada and Europe.
The derivatives of pink pepper
In addition to the marketing of fruit, Pink pepper also provides two types of essential oils, including:
- Essential oil of the leaves (0.4% to 0.75% yield)
- Essential oil of berries (2.5% to 4% yield)
SPECIFICATION
PINK PEPPER CORN
(schinus terebinthifolius.)
HARVESTING PERIOD APRIL TO AUGUST
PINK PEPPER CORN Grade 1:
Colour: Scarlet Red, Uniform Colour
No foreign materials, free of insect
Free of stones and metals
broken bay : less than 1%
Moisture: less than 12%
Packed: in sachets of 2 kg net
10 kg net in one carton
Price: on request
Minimum order: 100 kg
Payment terms: CAD through bank, against the original documents, payment on first presentation
SHIPMENT : BY AIR
o its bark, which smells like anise, rich in methyl-chavicol, is sold to the market by herbalists.o light brown color, it is coarser and thicker than the bark of cinnamon.o It is used in traditional medicine and as a condiment in some recipes.o It is also used to flavor rum and some pastries (powder)o leaves give an essential oil (it feels less anise) different from that of the bark (consisting of 90% methyl-chavicol)
It is a tree of the Lauraceae family, whose height reached 15m.
