Bell Pepper
Capsicum annuum (Grossum group)
Warm-season fruiting vegetable in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), grown as an annual in temperate climates (Zones 4-11) from transplants set out after the last spring frost and after soil temperature 3 inches below the surface reaches 60F. The Grossum cultivar group produces blocky, non-pungent fruit (0 SHU on the Scoville scale); ripening progresses from green through yellow, orange, red, purple, brown, or black depending on cultivar. Fresh-market production is dominant in the United States; bell peppers also have established processing channels (dehydrated, frozen, brined). Drip irrigation with plastic mulch is the standard fresh-market system.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Plants are tender perennials cultivated as annuals; light frost will kill the crop. Optimal growing temperature range is roughly 70-84F. Mature green peppers are the largest single market segment, but colored peppers (red, yellow, orange) command a price premium because field losses are higher and per-acre yields are lower when fruit is held on the plant to fully ripen. National average yield in 2017 was 380 cwt/acre (~38,000 lb/acre) for fresh-market bell peppers; greenhouse hydroponic yields can be substantially higher. Crop is sensitive to blossom-end rot under inconsistent moisture, sunscald on exposed fruit during heat waves, and bacterial spot in humid conditions. Rotate at least 3 years away from other solanaceous crops (tomato, eggplant, potato) to suppress soilborne disease. Per-capita U.S. consumption of fresh bell peppers averaged 11.4 lb in 2017 (up 6% from 2015) and chile peppers 7.7 lb (USDA ERS 2018, via AgMRC).
Growing Season
- Plant
- late spring – early summer
- Harvest
- mid-summer – first fall frost
- Frost-free days
- 100+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 1,500 – 2,200
Yield
- Typical yield
- 380 cwt/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
- Labor
- 350 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
1 active buyer on record purchasing this crop.
Price Trend Stable/Up
3-year price trend recorded as "declining".
Supply Below Demand
Commodity vegetable — regional and national supply is well established, limiting headroom for new entrants.
Multiple Buyer Channels
1 recorded buyer and 6 documented market channels. Multiple routes to market.
Value-Added Potential
6 documented market channels, including value-added and direct-to-consumer routes.
Market Growth Projected
Mature vegetable market; growth over a 5-year horizon expected to track population rather than outpace it.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Crop tolerates zones 4-11; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.
GDD Sufficient
Crop needs 1500 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.
Precipitation Compatible
Crop needs ~22 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.
Frost-Free Season OK
Crop needs 100 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.
Chill Hours Met
Not applicable — annual crop has no winter chill requirement.
Climate Trend Favorable
Crop spans 8 hardiness zones (4-11). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
11 documented equipment requirements. Within range adaptable from general row-crop or orchard equipment.
Storage Available
3 documented storage/handling requirements, all achievable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.
Irrigation Compatible
Requires ~22 in. Deliverable with conventional drip or overhead irrigation.
Field Layout Suitable
Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.
Labor Availability
350 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Labor-intensive — competes for scarce seasonal labor.
Processing Proximity
1 processor/cooperative buyer on record for this crop, 1 within NY/PA/OH.
Equipment Requirements
general
Utility tractor for bed prep, mulch laying, cultivation, and spraying. Often shared across multiple vegetable enterprises.
Per-acre roll-cost. Provides 2-4°F frost protection at transplanting, excludes early-season aphids and flea beetles. Remove at flowering to allow pollination.
planting
Lays raised beds with embossed black or reflective plastic mulch and drip tape in a single pass. Strongly recommended for commercial peppers — improves stand, suppresses weeds, repels aphids (with silver mulch).
Punches holes in plastic mulch, delivers starter water, and aids hand placement of transplants. Reduces labor 30-50% versus hand-punch transplanting.
irrigation
Per-acre estimate for filter station, fertigation injector, mainline, and seasonal drip tape (T-tape 5-8 mil). Drip is strongly preferred to overhead to limit foliar disease pressure.
spraying
For protectant fungicide and insecticide programs (Phytophthora, bacterial spot, aphids, lepidoptera). Calibration and PPE compliance per label.
cultivation
Between-row mechanical cultivation in non-plasticulture systems, or hooded sprayer for in-row banded herbicide between plastic-mulched beds.
harvesting
Multiple hand-pickings over a 6-10 week harvest window. Plastic lugs preferred over waxed cardboard for sanitation and reuse.
post_harvest
Removes field heat from freshly harvested fruit to extend shelf life. Target pulp temperature 7-10°C (45-50°F) within hours of harvest.
Short-term holding before market. Hold at 7-10°C; avoid lower temperatures which cause chilling injury (pitting, decay). Keep separate from ethylene-producing crops (apples, tomatoes).
Manual or roller grading table for size/color sort; some operations wax-brush to enhance shine. Most direct-market growers grade and pack at field-side.
Storage Requirements
Fresh cold storage
Temperature
45–50°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
21 days
Fresh cold storage (vine-ripe)
Temperature
41–45°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
14 days
Frozen (IQF)
Temperature
-10–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue $9,802/ac vs catalog median $5,500/ac. Above median.
Input Costs Acceptable
Input cost not recorded; not penalising. Catalog 75th percentile is $5,387/ac.
Payback Period OK
Reaches full production in 0 years. Acceptable payback.
Insurance Available
No federal crop insurance recorded for this crop; risk sits with the grower.
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Cannot compute — net return not recorded. Catalog median is $13.16/hr.
Grants/Subsidies
Vegetable crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $34/$/cwt |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $9,802 |
| Annual Operating Cost | —/acre |
| Establishment Cost | —/acre |
| Total Input Cost | —/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | — |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Not available |
Source: USDA NASS Vegetables 2025 Summary (February 2026) — Michigan state estimate (Great Lakes proxy for this region) (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
11 documented risk factors. Within the range manageable by conventional IPM.
Market Diversified
1 buyer, 6 channels. Not dependent on a single outlet.
Low Establishment Risk
0 years to full production. Low establishment exposure.
Climate Resilient
Tolerates zones 4-11 (8 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.
Regulatory Burden Low
No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.
Diversifies Portfolio
Adds a vegetable revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.
Known Risks
disease
Soilborne oomycete causing crown rot, fruit rot, and rapid plant collapse, especially after warm wet periods and in poorly drained soils. The most economically damaging pepper disease in many growing regions.
Caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria and related species. Produces water-soaked leaf lesions, defoliation, and fruit spotting. Spreads rapidly during warm humid weather and is seedborne.
Fungal fruit rot producing sunken, water-soaked lesions on ripe fruit, often with concentric rings of pink-orange spore masses. Causes major postharvest and field losses in warm humid conditions.
Aphid- and thrips-vectored viruses (Tobacco etch, Pepper mottle, Cucumber mosaic, TSWV) causing mosaic, leaf distortion, stunting, and unmarketable fruit. No effective curative control once infected.
pest
Green peach aphid, melon aphid, and others colonize new growth and serve as primary vectors of mosaic viruses. Direct damage from feeding usually secondary to virus transmission.
Small dark snout beetle whose larvae develop inside flower buds and immature fruit, causing fruit abortion or premature ripening with frass-filled cores. Established in southern regions; periodic incursions further north.
Lepidopteran larvae bore into fruit and cause direct feeding damage. ECB enters through the calyx, leaving entry holes and internal feeding tunnels; armyworm feeds on foliage and fruit surface.
weather
Peppers are sensitive to temperatures below 10°C (50°F) and killed by frost. Cold soils at transplanting cause stunting and uneven stands; chilling injury during fruit set reduces yield.
Night temperatures above 24°C (75°F) and day temperatures above 32°C (90°F) during flowering cause flower drop and reduced fruit set. Sunscald of exposed fruit also increases under heat with sparse canopy.
environmental
Dark sunken rot at the blossom end of developing fruit caused by localized calcium deficiency, usually induced by fluctuating soil moisture rather than absolute Ca shortage. Common on first fruit set in stressed plants.
market
Bell pepper prices fluctuate significantly with supply gluts from Florida, Mexico, and California production windows. Smaller-scale growers without contracted buyers can face thin margins or unsold inventory in peak supply months.
Nutritional Yield
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per acre |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 20 kcal | 2,826,773 kcal |
| Protein | 0.9 g | 121,551 g |
| Total fat | 0.2 g | 24,028 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.6 g | 655,811 g |
| Fiber | 1.7 g | 240,276 g |
| Sugar | 2.4 g | 339,213 g |
Key micronutrients
Uncertainty: Per-acre values are estimates that compound the yield range, edible-fraction assumption, and a single representative nutrient panel. Treat them as order-of-magnitude planning numbers, not nutritional advice. Confidence: high.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Eden Valley Growers
Eden, NY · 30.0 mi
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: Data sourced from USDA Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC) Bell and Chili Peppers commodity profile (revised May 2024) — https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/vegetables/bell-and-chili-peppers — and Penn State Extension Pepper Production guide — https://extension.psu.edu/pepper-production. Yield, price, and per-capita consumption figures from AgMRC; soil-temperature transplant guidance, harvest interval, and Mid-Atlantic agronomic context from Penn State Extension.
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
29 tracked changes across 7 data categories