Kampot Pepper! Never heard of it?

Kampot Pepper

Kampot pepper is renowned worldwide, featured in top restaurants and used by some of the best chefs. Its resurgence came after nearly 30 years of non-production because the Khmer Rouge forced farmers to focus on growing rice and vegetables instead of pepper.

In the late 1990s, as the world began to recognise the devastation caused by the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia started to regain a sense of normalcy. Elections were held, and farmers felt safe enough to return to their homelands. However, it took many more years before they could actually start farming again.

Born again

With support from foreign investment by French and Belgian expatriates who established farms, the region began to cultivate a market for Kampot pepper once again. The farming activity increased significantly after Kampot pepper received its Protected Geographical Indication award in 2010. Once the market for Kampot pepper was established, local Cambodian farmers began gradually investing in and growing pepper again.

Today, there are over 400 farms in Kampot Province, primarily small farms run by hardworking Cambodian farmers, producing over 100 tonnes annually. However, this accounts for less than 1% of the total pepper grown in Cambodia each year.

My experience

If you visit Cambodia, I highly recommend stopping by Kampot. In town, there’s a charming little establishment called the “Kampot Pepper Shop,” where you can taste the distinct flavour of Kampot pepper. They can also direct you to a lovely family-run farm called BoTree.

At BoTree, enthusiastic volunteers will guide you and share their passion for pepper. They offer an engaging “taste of pepper” tour that will help you understand why it is considered one of the best peppers in the world!