Ceylon Pepper is particularly favoured worldwide as it is quite rich in piperine, the alkaloid which lends it a distinct pungency. As a result, Ceylon Pepper from Sri Lanka fetches a premium price in the international spice market. Black pepper is widely used as a ‘hot’ cooking spice and seasoning. The taste of Sri Lankan black pepper is richly aromatic, with floral and citrus notes, while retaining a strong pungency. Extracts of black pepper - Piperine, oleoresin and essential oil- are also extracted from the whole drupes, and have applications as both spice and flavouring agents in the food industry, and also major industrial applications in the perfumery and the pharmaceutical industry.
Depending on the time of harvest and the post-harvest process, there can be different types of pepper: green pepper, black pepper, red pepper and white pepper. For black pepper, the Piper nigrum berries are harvested when green and slightly immature, then it’s blanched and sun-dried. This makes it very rich in essential oil. The black colour results from the oxidation that occurs during drying.
In Sri Lanka, pepper or the woody perennial evergreen climbing vine, Piper nigrum, is cultivated over an area of 32800 hectares and majorly in the districts of Matale, Kandy, Kegalle, and Kurunegala where it’s grown either as a mono-crop or a mixed crop in coconut and tea plantations using live or dead stands as support. It’s also ideal for home gardens.
Today, pure origin pepper enjoys a huge demand internationally, and the public is keener to discover spices that originate from a specific “terroir” just like wines. Ceylon Pepper is mainly exported to India, Germany and the USA and enjoys a growing demand from Australia and Canada.