Farmers Urged to Strengthen Quality of Pepper Products

Farmers Urged to Strengthen Quality of Pepper Products

The Ministry of Commerce has urged pepper farmers to strengthen the quality of pepper products in order to keep their fame both in the local and foreign markets.

In a recent field trip to a pepper farm in Kampot province, Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce, explained that quality strengthening will further promote the brand name of Geographic Indication (GI) Kampot pepper in the European Union market.

The minister also advised the pepper farmers, producers, cooperatives and association to pay attention to sanitary, packaging, storage, and free-chemical fertilizer, etc. so that the GI Kampot pepper will be more famous in the domestic market and abroad.

Kampot pepper received GI certification from the EU in 2016. A geographical indication is a valuable name or sign used on products that correspond to a specific geographical location or origin.

The Kampot Pepper Promotion Association has 455 members made up of farmers and companies with pepper plantations.

As of 2019, Kampot pepper plantations cover an area of about 290 hectares with a total yield of over 126 tons.

The association sells black pepper at US$15,000 per ton, while the red pepper and white pepper fetch US$25,000 and US$28,000 a ton, respectively.