However, since this pepper is harvested from wild stands in the Mexican desert, the heat level of the fruit can vary greatly from year to year, depending on the amount of natural rainfall that occurs during the time the fruits are forming. During drought years, fruit heat levels can be weak, and during normal rainfall years, the highest heat levels are produced. Also there is a large variation between the heat levels of the green fresh fruit (which are pickled in vinegar), red-ripe fresh fruit, dried whole fruit and dried fruit with the seeds removed, and their heat levels are arranged from mildest to hottest in that order. Around 50 tons are estimated to be harvested commercially annually in Mexico, primarily in Sonora.