Chillies and Peppers (Dry) Production by Country 2025

Dried chillies and peppers represent essential spice crops globally, with global production of 5,821,854 tonnes in 2023 (up 20.5% from 2022), with India dominating production at 2,782,000 tonnes in 2023, projected to reach 2,363,000 tonnes by 2025. Bangladesh follows with 662,833 tonnes, while Thailand produces 328,910 tonnes. These pungent fruits (Capsicum spp. and Pimenta spp.) serve as fundamental ingredients in cuisines worldwide, providing heat, flavor, and color. Production spans 58 countries across tropical and subtropical regions, from smallholder farms to commercial plantations, serving both domestic consumption and international spice trade.

🏆 India's Market Dominance

India leads with 2,782,000 tonnes, showing dramatic volatility from 1,743,000 to 2,782,000, reflecting weather variability and market dynamics. Production concentrates in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan where diverse chilli varieties thrive. Indian production includes Guntur, Byadgi, Kashmiri, and other regional varieties valued for heat levels, color, and flavor profiles. The crop serves massive domestic consumption in curries, pickles, and spice blends, while exports supply global markets. Government programs support quality improvement and export infrastructure. However, price volatility and pest pressures challenge farmers.

Chillies and Peppers (Dry) Production by Country 2025

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#	Country	2025 (est.) (Tonne)
1	India IN	2,363,000
2	Bangladesh BD	617,400
3	Thailand TH	328,748
4	China CN	326,053
5	Ethiopia ET	269,426
6	Myanmar MM	148,421
7	Benin BJ	134,493
8	Ivory Coast CI	131,475
9	Pakistan PK	119,136
10	Ghana GH	109,447
11	Vietnam VN	100,598
12	Nepal NP	86,212
13	Nigeria NG	64,597
14	Egypt EG	63,633
15	Mexico MX	60,992
16	Cameroon CM	42,739
17	DR Congo CD	36,602
18	Peru PE	35,339
19	Niger NE	32,431
20	Morocco MA	27,295
21	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	24,276
22	Tunisia TN	20,598
23	Jamaica JM	19,788
24	Uzbekistan UZ	18,268
25	South Africa ZA	18,011
26	Türkiye TR	15,647
27	Algeria DZ	15,363
28	Cambodia KH	13,333
29	Laos LA	12,530
30	Sudan SD	10,532
31	South Sudan SS	6,942
32	Tanzania TZ	6,771
33	Senegal SN	5,046
34	Mali ML	4,432
35	Serbia RS	4,339
36	Sierra Leone SL	4,276
37	Iran IR	3,945
38	North Macedonia MK	3,707
39	Togo TG	3,607
40	Uganda UG	3,183
41	Argentina AR	3,182
42	Kenya KE	3,003
43	Malaysia MY	2,420
44	Madagascar MG	1,832
45	Cape Verde CV	1,523
46	Malawi MW	1,330
47	Kyrgyzstan KG	990
48	Syria SY	938
49	Djibouti DJ	546
50	Iraq IQ	493
51	Zimbabwe ZW	457
52	Zambia ZM	457
53	Kazakhstan KZ	441
54	Bhutan BT	186
55	Central African Republic CF	118
56	Maldives MV	10
57	Grenada GD	8
58	Papua New Guinea PG	2

🌏 Asian Production Centers

Bangladesh shows explosive growth from 141,177 to 662,833 tonnes, driven by expanding cultivation and improved varieties. Thailand maintains steady 328,910 tonnes, China 325,522 tonnes, Myanmar 151,787 tonnes, Vietnam 100,359 tonnes, Nepal 86,992 tonnes, and Pakistan 109,615 tonnes. Asian production serves both domestic consumption where chillies form dietary foundation and export markets. Thailand dominates dried chilli exports, particularly bird's eye chillies. The region's production benefits from suitable tropical climate and strong culinary traditions incorporating chillies.

🌍 African Production Landscape

Ethiopia contributes 298,206 tonnes, Benin 134,120 tonnes, Ivory Coast 131,559 tonnes, Ghana 109,360 tonnes, Nigeria 64,618 tonnes, Cameroon 42,787 tonnes, and DR Congo 36,688 tonnes. African production serves domestic consumption where chillies provide essential flavor and nutrition. West African production particularly serves regional markets. However, post-harvest losses from inadequate drying and storage infrastructure constrain value capture. Growing export opportunities to Europe and Asia drive quality improvement initiatives.

🌎 Americas and Other Regions

Mexico produces 61,090 tonnes, Peru 37,883 tonnes, Jamaica 19,563 tonnes, and Argentina 3,183 tonnes. Mexican production includes diverse varieties from mild to extremely hot peppers. Middle Eastern and North African producers include Egypt 63,975 tonnes, Morocco 27,260 tonnes, Tunisia 20,572 tonnes, and Algeria 15,405 tonnes. These regions cultivate chillies for traditional cuisine and spice blends. Türkiye adds 15,593 tonnes, while Balkan countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina (24,269 tonnes) and Serbia (4,339 tonnes) maintain production for paprika and traditional uses.

💪 Culinary and Nutritional Value

Dried chillies provide intense heat from capsaicin, ranging from mild (1,000 Scoville units) to extremely hot (over 1 million Scoville units). Rich in vitamins A and C, antioxidants, and capsaicinoids with anti-inflammatory properties. Drying concentrates flavors and enables long-term storage. Used whole, ground into powder, or processed into pastes and sauces. Essential in Indian, Thai, Mexican, Korean, and numerous other cuisines. Growing interest in hot sauces and spicy foods drives global demand. Capsaicin provides health benefits including metabolism boost and pain relief.

🌱 Cultivation and Processing

Chillies thrive in warm climates 20-30°C with well-drained soils and adequate moisture. Growing season 90-150 days depending on variety. Harvested when fully ripe and red for maximum color and heat. Drying methods include sun-drying (traditional, 7-10 days), mechanical drying (faster, more consistent), and shade-drying (preserves color). Proper drying to 10-12% moisture prevents mold and ensures quality. Pests including thrips, aphids, and fruit borers challenge production. Diseases like anthracnose and bacterial wilt require management. Post-harvest handling critical for maintaining quality and market value.

📈 Market Dynamics and Trade

Dried chilli prices fluctuate $2000-8,000/tonne depending on variety, quality, heat level, and color. Premium varieties like Kashmiri chillies command $6,000-10,000/tonne for bright red color. India dominates global exports at 300,000-400,000 tonnes annually. Thailand exports 50,000-80,000 tonnes, primarily bird's eye chillies. China imports large volumes for processing and re-export. Growing demand for hot sauces, ethnic foods, and spicy snacks drives consumption. However, price volatility from weather impacts and pest outbreaks creates market instability. Aflatoxin contamination concerns require quality control.

🔮 Market Outlook

Global dried chilli production projected to grow moderately through 2025, driven by expanding consumption in Asia and growing popularity of spicy foods worldwide. India maintains dominance while Bangladesh emerges as significant producer. Climate change poses risks through irregular rainfall and heat stress affecting yields. The industry invests in improved varieties with disease resistance and consistent quality. Processing infrastructure development reduces post-harvest losses. Growing health consciousness supports consumption as capsaicin gains recognition for metabolic and anti-inflammatory benefits. The crop's importance in global cuisines and expanding hot sauce markets ensure continued production growth despite cultivation challenges.

Chillies and Peppers (Dry) Production by Country 2025

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#	Country	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2025 (est.)
1	India	2,149,000	1,743,000	1,835,000	2,049,000	1,874,000	2,782,000	2,363,000
2	Bangladesh	141,177	149,473	157,607	492,681	624,825	662,833	617,400
3	Thailand	339,404	322,806	328,956	330,389	327,384	328,910	328,748
4	China	323,421	331,179	323,573	326,057	326,936	325,522	326,053
5	Ethiopia	307,457	313,115	295,981	249,289	234,886	298,206	269,426
6	Myanmar	128,072	137,110	130,293	140,745	147,928	151,787	148,421
7	Benin	102,136	86,830	108,934	137,047	133,412	134,120	134,493
8	Ivory Coast	134,175	129,655	131,737	131,856	131,083	131,559	131,475
9	Pakistan	148,114	101,659	141,541	105,401	144,160	109,615	119,136
10	Ghana	108,958	110,313	109,043	109,438	109,598	109,360	109,447
11	Vietnam	97,045	97,672	99,580	100,312	101,186	100,359	100,598
12	Nepal	52,500	67,167	68,025	87,731	83,898	86,992	86,212
13	Nigeria	62,886	63,123	64,538	65,071	64,244	64,618	64,597
14	Egypt	61,784	62,060	62,397	62,998	63,486	63,975	63,633
15	Mexico	60,611	60,738	61,004	60,809	60,950	61,090	60,992
16	Cameroon	41,878	42,763	43,024	42,555	42,781	42,787	42,739
17	DR Congo	35,760	35,810	36,348	36,443	36,566	36,688	36,602
18	Peru	26,232	35,312	37,471	36,384	30,404	37,883	35,339
19	Niger	19,182	24,040	32,859	31,824	31,756	33,078	32,431
20	Morocco	27,003	27,682	27,140	27,275	27,366	27,260	27,295
21	Bosnia and Herzegovina	24,590	24,185	24,225	24,334	24,248	24,269	24,276
22	Tunisia	20,448	20,865	20,474	20,596	20,645	20,572	20,598
23	Jamaica	15,998	18,106	18,847	19,850	20,120	19,563	19,788
24	Uzbekistan	23,000	30,000	36,199	16,710	18,126	18,975	18,268
25	South Africa	17,671	17,927	18,187	17,928	18,014	18,043	18,011
26	Türkiye	16,312	16,348	16,068	15,770	15,656	15,593	15,647
27	Algeria	15,007	15,111	15,194	15,280	15,348	15,405	15,363
28	Cambodia	13,049	13,260	13,481	13,263	13,334	13,359	13,333
29	Laos	12,261	12,368	12,731	12,453	12,518	12,567	12,530
30	Sudan	10,451	10,654	10,479	10,528	10,553	10,520	10,532
31	South Sudan	6,879	7,038	6,901	6,939	6,959	6,933	6,942
32	Tanzania	6,910	6,801	6,959	6,838	6,787	6,735	6,771
33	Senegal	5,028	5,104	5,015	5,049	5,056	5,040	5,046
34	Mali	4,395	4,507	4,395	4,433	4,445	4,424	4,432
35	Serbia	4,298	4,405	4,309	4,337	4,351	4,332	4,339
36	Sierra Leone	4,132	4,180	4,240	4,242	4,268	4,295	4,276
37	Iran	3,872	3,914	3,991	3,926	3,944	3,953	3,945
38	North Macedonia	3,674	3,689	3,713	3,694	3,704	3,715	3,707
39	Togo	3,529	3,575	3,657	3,587	3,606	3,616	3,607
40	Uganda	3,145	3,160	3,201	3,191	3,185	3,179	3,183
41	Argentina	3,187	3,190	3,186	3,181	3,182	3,183	3,182
42	Kenya	3,104	3,097	3,048	3,028	3,009	2,989	3,003
43	Malaysia	2,360	2,388	2,417	2,432	2,412	2,420	2,420
44	Madagascar	1,910	1,900	1,834	1,810	1,848	1,830	1,832
45	Cape Verde	1,519	1,516	1,529	1,522	1,522	1,524	1,523
46	Malawi	1,228	1,343	1,357	1,309	1,336	1,334	1,330
47	Kyrgyzstan	1,015	1,053	1,043	985	989	992	990
48	Syria	934	945	935	938	940	938	938
49	Djibouti	545	548	546	546	546	546	546
50	Iraq	1,542	1,078	368	541	376	544	493
51	Zimbabwe	168	251	284	287	335	598	457
52	Zambia	423	479	455	452	462	456	457
53	Kazakhstan	438	448	438	441	442	440	441
54	Bhutan	149	169	170	171	183	194	186
55	Central African Republic	115	116	117	117	118	119	118
56	Maldives	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
57	Grenada	26	10	22	7	14	5	8
58	Papua New Guinea	2	2	2	2	2	2	2