Pepper farmers seek new GI listings
Pepper production inched up to close to 12,000 tonnes last year with cultivation on 6,124 hectares, but unstable prices have led to calls for geographic indicator (GI) certificates for a range of peppers. The eastern Thbong Khmum province is the leading pepper producer, growing 8,566 tonnes last year. This represented 72 percent of the total production, according to a report from the Agriculture Ministry. Kampot province, which gets GI recognition in Europe for its pepper, cultivated about 87 tonnes last year. Hean Vanhan, director-general of the directorate of agriculture, said land used for cultivating pepper had increased in line with the surge in demand for the product.
