Kampot pepper
As Kampot pepper (French. Poivre de kampot , Eng. Kampot pepper ) is called pepper in the provinces of Kampot and Kep in Cambodia is grown according to prescribed guidelines. The name "Kampot pepper" is a protected designation of origin . Kampot pepper belongs to the Piper nigrum plant species from the pepper family (Piperaceae).
The geographical origin is described in a specification which defines the rules for the production (e.g. selection of the parcels , hygiene) of the Kampot pepper. In addition, rules for further processing (e.g. drying, selection), packaging and traceability are laid down in the specification. The specifications for the cultivation of Kampot pepper are issued by the KPPA (Kampot Pepper Promotion Association). For example, it prohibits the use of chemical fertilizers.
history
The first evidence of pepper cultivation in Cambodia goes back to the 13th century. There are mentions in the records of the Chinese researcher Tcheou Ta Kouan.
The intensive pepper cultivation, in the tradition of which the current pepper cultivation in Kampot also stands, can be traced back to the 1870s. At that time, pepper production was relocated from Indonesia to Southeast Asia . The Sultan of Aceh ruled over one of the largest pepper producers in Indonesia. Threatened by the Dutch conquerors, he burned his pepper plantations and with them some of his wealth, instead of leaving them to the invaders.
Much of the pepper production in Southeast Asia was then relocated to the province of Kampot , which experienced a great boom due to the flourishing trade in pepper. Of the 8,000 tons of Kampot pepper produced in the region at the beginning of the 20th century, 4,130 tons were exported to France. The French were a colonial power in Cambodia at the time. The traces of this time can still be seen in the city of Kampot , which is adorned with pretty French colonial buildings.
In 1960 there were around 1 million pepper plants in Kampot. The tradition of pepper cultivation was almost lost when the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975. The regime around the dictator Pol Pot wanted to turn Cambodia into a farming state and, in order to be able to feed the population, had to make the areas of the pepper plantations usable for growing rice and vegetables. As a result, Kampot pepper disappeared completely from the world market and was forgotten.
The revival of the pepper tradition has been going on since the 1990s. In 2005, the Farmlink organization was founded with the aim of supporting smallholders in the Kampot region in the recultivation of traditional pepper plants and in traditional pepper cultivation. Farmlink also helped the smallholders to make pepper cultivation more effective and to establish a connection to the western sales markets.
KPPA
The Kampot Pepper Promotion Association, or KPPA for short, consists of 12 permanent members who are elected by the members every four years. President is Ngoun Lay (as of June 2019). Only members who are approved by the KPPA and get a registration are allowed to sell their pepper as "Kampot pepper". There are currently 344 Kampot pepper producers registered with the KPPA.
The main task of KPPA is to "protect and market" the Kampot pepper. It should ensure that only real Kampot pepper is sold as such. For this purpose, real Kampot pepper must be labeled with the KPPA logo and traceable to the farmer via a code.
Production rules
The KPPA (Kampot Pepper Promotion Association) specifications stipulate the rules under which Kampot pepper should be grown. These include:
Type of plants and cuttings
There are two types of plants that are allowed to be used by farmers in Kampot: "Kamchay" and "Lampong" (or "Belantoeung"), known locally as "large leaves" and "small leaves". Replication takes place through cuttings. The specification sheet for the geographical indication prohibits the use of other varieties.
Used fertilizers
The fertilization is carried out in different ways throughout the year: Addition of new soil, so-called "virgin soil". Addition of cow dung and bat dung (guano). Some farmers also make fertilizers from rice field crabs , beef bones and shrimp skin, which are also approved.
The KPPA's specification for compliance with the " Protected Geographical Origin " prohibits the use of chemical fertilizers .
irrigation
Irrigation is paramount to pepper cultivation. If it rains abundantly in the rainy season, watering is necessary in the dry season, since a plant needs 15 liters of water every 3 days. Most of the plantations in Kampot are manually watered with water from nearby wells.
Type of pest control
The producers in Kampot mostly produce natural pesticides based on local plants, such as tobacco and neem , themselves . The specifications only allow the use of natural pesticides.
Type of floors
Plantations are only allowed to be built on special soil like those found in the region around the Phnom Vao Mountains. Above all, the soil must be porous so that the water can drain off easily during the rainy season.
Production quantities
380,000 tons of pepper from the piper nigrum plant are produced worldwide (as of 2018). In Cambodia, the total production of the piper nigrum plant is around 20,000 tons. The registered members of the KPPA produced around 60 tons of Kampot pepper in 2016.
Aroma and aroma quality
Kampot pepper is considered to be particularly aromatic. The scent molecules, which are responsible for the aroma of the Kampot pepper, serve the plants as a sexual attractant for reproduction and as a weapon against predators. The composition and quantity of the aromas contained is decisive for the aroma quality. These are strongly influenced by the soil and the climate in which the plant grows, but also by the way in which it is grown. The Kampot region, with its soils, climatic conditions and cultivation regulations, provides the special aroma of Kampot pepper.
Individual evidence
- ^ Kampot Pepper Promotion Association. Retrieved June 14, 2019 .
- ↑ DW German: Anders Wirtschaften: Development work with pepper | Made in Germany. April 4, 2012, Retrieved June 14, 2019 .
- ↑ Kampt Pepper Promotion Association: List of registered members of the KPPA . Kampot Province June 14, 2019.
- ^ Kampot Pepper Promotion Association. Retrieved June 14, 2019 .
- ↑ Ra Thorng & Sinh Chao (2016): Contract Farming Arrangements in Cambodia: The Case of Kampot Pepper (Piper nigrum). Journal of Mekong Societies 12 (2): 45-69. doi: 10.14456 / jms.2016.14
- ↑ Hennes Finest Kampot pepper: Hennes Finest. Retrieved July 18, 2019 .
- ↑ Thomas Vilgis, Thomas Vilgis: Aroma The art of seasoning . 3. Edition. Stiftung Warentest, Berlin 2015, ISBN 978-3-86851-429-2 .
- ↑ Sebastian Bordthäuser: Quite peppered . September 30, 2012 ( welt.de [accessed June 14, 2019]).