If you are a fan of peppers, you may be wondering what the most expensive pepper in the world is. This is something that many people have asked as they are curious about what kind of pepper would cost the most.
There are so many different varieties of pepper out there that grow in all different parts of the world. Because of this, most people do not even know just how many varieties there are that you can’t buy.
There are basic types of peppers as well as very rare types of peppers that you are not going to find so easily. There are also hard-to-grow varieties that are going to cost much more than your average pepper.
Keep reading to find out what the most expensive pepper in the world is and what it is like.
The Most Expensive Pepper
If you enjoy eating peppers, you may be wondering what the most expensive pepper in the world is. The answer to this is that the Aji Charapita pepper is considered to be the most expensive pepper that you can buy in the world.
The Aji Charapita pepper is the most expensive pepper in the world and you are not going to find it very easily. This is a tiny yellowish-orange pepper that you may not think much of if you were to see it.
It only grows up to 0.25 inches and almost looks similar to some form of tropical berry. It is a native to the Peruvian jungle and is a relative of several Peruvian peppers that you may have already heard of.
These peppers are also considered to be quite rare in most parts of the world as they do not usually grow outside of Peru. You can also purchase seeds to grow these peppers yourself, but there’s no guarantee that they will grow in your climate.
The peppers themselves cost $25,000 per kilogram, while buying the seeds is still going to cost quite a lot. Coming to around $4 to $9 per seed, depending on the seller.
It is impossible to say exactly how much each pepper individually costs. For the most part, you will get the best price if you buy them in Peruvia and one of the marketplaces where they can be found.
Spicy
The Aji Charapita pepper is considered to be quite spicy when you look at just how small it is. By its appearance, you would never expect this tiny pepper to be very spicy at all, but it really does pack quite a punch.
In fact, this pepper is estimated to have around 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units per pepper. This is quite significant for any kind of spicy pepper, let alone one that is this small.
So only those who really enjoy spicy foods should try to eat one of these peppers as they are going to be very spicy.
Small
These peppers are known for being extremely small, which is one of the features about them that makes them stand out. They are not even a full inch long and even at maturity, are usually only about the size of a fingernail.
They are small and have a semi-transparent orange-yellow color that makes them look similar to tropical berries. If you were to pass by these peppers, you most likely wouldn’t even recognize them as peppers.
Citrusy
One of the interesting aspects of Aji Charapita pepper is that they have a sweet and citrusy flavor to them. Their color looks citrusy, and their flavor matches that with a fruity and citrusy flavor that is very complementary to the spiciness.
In fact, most people use these peppers as a type of finishing touch to different dishes. They will typically squeeze the juice over dishes as these peppers are very moist and juicy.
Because of this, they are often used like you would a lemon over a fish dish for a tart finish. The juice still provides plenty of flavor and spiciness without you actually having to add the pepper to the dish itself.
Why Aji Charapita Peppers Are so Expensive?
Aji Charapita peppers are considered to be the most expensive pepper in the world because of their scarcity. They are not necessarily overly difficult to grow, but they do not grow well outside of Perú.
Of course, people can try to grow these peppers themselves at home, but they are not usually grown in large quantities outside of Peru. So there is not a huge stockpile of these peppers that are available to be sold outside of Perú.
It is also extremely expensive to produce and transport these peppers to other areas of the world. Transporting produce is very expensive and is going to result in a very expensive product for customers to buy.
As far as we are aware, there are no known places that grow Aji Charapita pepper outside of Peru. So there is no outside supplier that helps to bring down the price of these peppers for people who do not live in Peru.
Where to Buy Aji Charapitas?
If you want to buy these types of peppers, you are going to have to do some searching to find them. Most people seem to have the best luck ordering them online as this is the easiest and cheapest way to do it.
You will have far more luck ordering seeds than you would actual fresh peppers, as seeds are going to be much easier to transport. Though you will need to carefully consider the quality that you are getting, as you do not want to be ripped off.
Some grocery stores or specialty stores may carry these peppers, but it is going to be quite rare to find. It would be very expensive for them to keep them in stock, especially if no one can afford to buy them, which would waste them.
So people will probably only be able to find Aji Charapita pepper if they live in specific locations where these peppers are high in demand.
