With a mixture of enthusiasm, joy and excitement, the residents and visitors of Shaqra Governorate, affiliated with the Riyadh Region, are set to enjoy a live experience on Sunday when the Fourth Shaqra Pepper Festival opens. The ten-day event is held on July 28 at the Municipality Gallery for Ceremonies and Conferences, under the patronage of Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz. Pepper farmers in Shaqra governorate, who grow, farm, or cultivate more than 78% of the Kingdom's pepper production, are set to showcase the finest types of hot pepper. Organizers of the event endeavour to enable farmers of the governorate to market their products, educate producers, and guide them on healthy practices to produce high-quality crops and create seasonal job opportunities. It also reviews the most prominent investment opportunities related to pepper in the processing industries. The festival's activities include many programs, events, seminars and lectures presented by a group of specialis ts in the agricultural field. Competitions are also held to select the best model pepper farm, product, and the largest pepper tree. Hot pepper, also known as Habhar Shaqra , is considered among the finest and most preferred in the Saudi and Gulf markets. Characterized by its delicious taste and pungent heat, hot pepper is also considered a top cash crop with high economic feasibility. With advanced agricultural practices, hot pepper is grown in open fields and inside greenhouses, yielding large quantities and high-quality output and achieving the best economic returns. Farm pepper is grown in Saudi Arabia in April, October, and November, while it is grown in greenhouses from late August to early September. The harvested season comes after 120 days and lasts for three months. The seed productivity ranges between 150 - 75 grams per acre. The Kingdom's annual pepper production is 119,700 tons, with a self-sufficiency rate reaching 72%. It is grown in a total area of ??about 3,167 hectares in various regions of the Kingdom, led by Riyadh region with an annual production of 65,796 tons in Shaqra Governorate, followed by Tabuk Region with a production of 10,484 tons; Qassim Region with a production of 9,045 tons; the Eastern Region with a production of 8,871 tons; Jazan Region with a production of (7,347) tons; Najran's production is 5,548 tons, Makkah's production is 4,675 tons; Madinah's production 3,198 tons; Al-Baha Region 2,331 tons; Hail 1,155 tons; Asir 773 tons; Al-Jouf 357 tons, and the Northern Borders 100 tons. Chilli peppers are used in many ways, including food, especially spicy snacks, and traditional and fast meals in most countries. Capsaicin found in chilli peppers is used in the manufacture of ointments to treat local pain and in skin patches as a topical pain killer, in addition to the manufacture of chemical irritants used for security reasons, while capsaicin is also used in the manufacture of pepper spray used in tear gas. The global pepper market is estimated at $1.61 billion in 2024 and is expe cted to reach $2.16 billion by 2029. It also has many health benefits, as it provides the body with essential vitamins, helps eliminate cancer, burns fat, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and helps eliminate harmful bacteria. Source: Saudi Press Agency