The oil will be bought by the German company Eramex Aromatics, a leading trading house that specializes in the selection of raw materials from all over the world for the fragrance and flavor industry.
Pedro Martínez, President of the Coopesiuna, clarified that the sweet pepper plant grows slowly, but is easily adapted, especially in the area of Bosawás, Nicaragua. “Once you cut the leaf, it undergoes an indoor drying process for five days and then transferred to the steam room, where the oil is purified before placing it in special containers” Martinez added.
"It's a unique experience for the country, because it contributes in generating employment for local producers. To our knowledge, no other company produces essential oils in the country, specifically from sweet pepper" commented Martinez.
Coopesiuna was supported by the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ) for the market search. Following this initiative, Coopesiuna expects to continue placing the product on the international market.
According to Martinez, there are currently 136 acres planted with sweet pepper for the extraction of essential oil.
