The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has taken steps to expand its production of F1 Bell Peppers, a project it initiated a few years ago.
This move comes in response to the growing demand for the pepper, known for its nutritional and health benefits.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Adenike Oladiji, expressed her satisfaction with the progress of the initiative as she received a fresh batch of harvested peppers from the University’s Vegetable Production Centre, led by Professor Ayoola Olalusi.
She announced that FUTA plans to increase the number of greenhouses used for growing the peppers, from one to six by the end of the year.
The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that the expansion is driven by both the rising demand for the peppers and the University’s commitment to training individuals in greenhouse farming.
“The market is ready for us. We want to make sure we meet the increasing demand for this product across the country,” she said.
She also mentioned FUTA’s readiness to collaborate with both government bodies and organizations to ensure that the pepper is available to consumers at affordable prices, with the potential for export as production scales up.
Professor Olalusi highlighted the significance of the F1 Bell Pepper, explaining that it is a hybrid variety with several advantages over traditional peppers.
The peppers come in three colors: green, yellow, and red. Not only does the F1 variety ripen faster, but it also has a bushy plant structure that does not require staking.
Additionally, the plant is resilient to various diseases and produces fruits that are large and sweet-tasting, measuring about 10-11 cm in width and 11-12 cm in length, with an average weight of 250-280 grams.
Currently, the peppers cultivated at FUTA are in high demand, especially in cities like Lagos and Ibadan, where some vendors place orders before harvest.
FUTA is considering expanding its production to meet local consumption needs and is also exploring potential partnerships for exporting the peppers internationally.
Professor Olalusi also noted that the F1 Bell Pepper is best grown in a greenhouse environment, a practice that FUTA is willing to share with interested farmers.
According to her, while the University will continue to cultivate the peppers within its own greenhouses to supply the immediate community, it is open to collaborations that could lead to large-scale production, providing a potential source of revenue for both the University and its partners.
