Caribbean hot sauce producers warn of shortages and higher prices

Hot pepper sauce in Caribbean cuisine is as pervasive as ketchup in the US.

The fiery flavouring is a staple of dining tables regionwide, the obligatory accompaniment for everything from rice and peas, to curries and stews.

And as international palates continue to heat up to the potent taste, a growing number of brands are exported to North America, Europe and Australia, appearing on the shelves of major supermarket chains, from the US's Walmart, to the UK's Tesco, and Woolworths in Australia.

But a shortage of the particular chilli pepper used to create the quintessential Caribbean condiment is threatening to stifle supply, while sending costs for the region's producers soaring.

A confluence of extreme weather, disease and pests is making core ingredient Scotch bonnet peppers particularly hard to source, manufacturers tell the BBC.

The temperamental little, yellow fruit with its susceptibility to heavy rain and viruses can be tough to grow, while devastating hurricanes in Jamaica, a prime producer of Scotch bonnets, delivered a further blow.

Last October's Hurricane Melissa – the strongest in Jamaica's history – walloped the island's agricultural sector, while it was still recovering from Hurricane Beryl the year before.

"We were hugely limited, and we did have to cancel orders," says Sean Garbutt, of Associated Manufacturers, which makes Jamaica's popular Walkerswood sauces and seasonings.

Walkerswood exports more than 95% of its products – two-thirds of it to the US. Last year alone, the company sent overseas the equivalent of 500 20ft (6m) long cargo containers.

The primary factor hindering expansion "is always produce", Garbutt continues. "After Beryl, many farmers switched to sweet potato because it's much hardier and the price per pound is better.

"Our number one pepper sauce, which unfortunately is the hardest for us to maintain and control, is our Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce, made from our Jamaican yellow peppers.

"It requires fresh peppers as we don't add colouring. We crush them and within a week we need to cook them to get that vibrant colour that people like. The weather is always a challenge," Garbutt says.

Heavy rains can also impact the taste. Walkerswood is known for producing some of the fieriest sauces.

"We might get a call from someone who says they really enjoyed our pepper sauce, but it wasn't as hot as it normally is. We have to explain it's due to too much rain," Garbutt says.

Many Jamaicans are fiercely proud of the island's Scotch bonnets, which are something of a cultural cornerstone and a central feature in its cu