Black peppercorns (Piper nigrum) are, by monetary value, the most widely traded spice in the world, accounting for roughly 20 per cent of the international spice trade. The International Pepper Exchange is located in Kochi, Kerala. Currently, Vietnam is the world’s largest producer and exporter of pepper, producing 34% of the world’s crop.
Black pepper is known worldwide as the “King of Spices” and is a commonplace component of daily life nearly everywhere you might travel. Although this modest organism usually goes unnoticed in the hustle of the modern world, there was once a time where this fabled spice was the origin of wars, forged and shaped ancient trade routes, and was a symbol of elite social status.
This woody vined perennial plant is native to an area known as the Malabar Coast in southwest India. Piper nigrum thrives in the lush, humid, tropical evergreen forests lining mountainsides throughout the region. This area is home to the present day Indian states Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Goa.
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