Man grows UKs hottest chilli in Bedfordshire

Salvatore Genovese has been approached by Tesco to nurture the super spicy Bhut Jolokia chillis, following soaring demand.

He told BBC News that a number of people are attempting to grow the peppers, but he is the only person with the facilities to mass produce them.

“The longer it’s on a plant the hotter it is and the Bhut Jolokia has five months from seed to picking as opposed to about three months for milder chillis,” he said.

Greenhouses are crucial to the process, as chillis require heat in order to grow.

Mr Genovese added that Tesco has seen the clamour for hot chillis increase by 200 per cent since it started stocking Dorset Nagas in 2009, but he insisted his range is not for the faint hearted.

Gardeners are using their greenhouses to produce more conventional food at the moment, as a HSBC study showed the rising price of groceries and demand for organic items have led to one in three people growing their own fruit and vegetables