Despite a severe Scotch bonnet pepper shortage disrupting the Caribbean’s multi-million-dollar pepper sauce industry, a top farming official here said on Tuesday the island’s crops remain resilient, pest-free and available for production.

The steady national supply stands in contrast to a widening regional shortage. With international demand for Caribbean flavours growing, regional brands have expanded significantly into major global supermarket chains, including Walmart in the US, Tesco in the UK and Woolworths in Australia.

But the export market is currently facing a severe supply crunch, the BBC reported on Monday. Manufacturers across the region report sharply rising production costs due to a scarcity of Scotch bonnet peppers.