![]() ![]() In addition to the market factor, as with any crop, farmers face the threat of pests as well, with the most dangerous for the pepper plant being the ‘foot rot’, which is capable of wiping out entire generation. Be it black pepper or white pepper, much of the farming and selling activities necessitate the aid and intervention of government bodies, including the Malaysian Pepper Board (MPB) and Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry. Right now, the average pepper farmer is very much affected by the volatile prices of pepper. The local native population have since picked up the trade as well, farming with their Chinese brethren side by side before eventually taking over the “profession”. Seeing the vast potential and the efficient farming methods of the Chinese, the Brookes imported more farmers from the surrounding, including Kalimantan, Singapore, and China, effectively sealing the deal for Sarawak to be known as pepper central in Malaysia. In fact, Sarawak is also home to its own indigenous variety of pepper, from the plant piper sarmentosum, which is more renowned for its leaf than its fruit.īy the time the British came around, Kuching as a port city played a big role in pepper trade. The harvest turned out great, the tropical weather conducive for healthy pepper plants. No matter the origin, no records conflict on the important role the Chinese immigrants played in the lifting of the crop in the country.ĭriven by the lucrativeness of pepper in the spice trade (as well as the gold rush), the Chinese immigrated to Kuching and other parts in Sarawak many centuries ago and quickly began planting pepper on borrowed land. However, nobody actually knows how the pepper’s Bornean chapter began, with some records saying it was the Majapahits who brought it over while the publication Sarawak Long Ago reports that it was introduced to Sarawak by one W C Crocker in the 1860s. Piper nigrum, or what is now known as Sarawak pepper actually originates from southwest India, where it is still extensively planted. Locally, the crop currently sustains more than 67,000 farming families and households, providing them with employment and income.Īlthough majority of the pepper farmers in the state right now are from the indigenous communities aided by the Ministry, the Sarawak pepper story is very much a Chinese immigrant story, one of trials, tribulations, and perseverance. The prominence of pepper may have peaked under the British Rajah rule in the 1900s when the Borneo Company streamlined the pepper trade, but the seeds were planted close to three centuries by the early Chinese settlers.įast forward to the 21st century, and pepper remains one of the state’s biggest foreign exchange earner, producing 95% of Malaysia’s pepper and maintaining the country in the top 5 pepper-producing nations in the world. Here, instead of silvery tin ore, the traders were harvesting from land a precious element of a different kind. In addition to its culinary virtues, Sarawak pepper has digestive properties and anti-inflammatory properties.The story of pepper in Sarawak is not much different than the one of early Chinese settlers in the Peninsular Malaysia, with the main difference being the commodity. When you baste your grilled duck breasts with this sauce, I'm sure you'll think of us. white wine infused with crushed Sarawak peppercorns. It also goes very well with duck and we recommend the recipe for duck breast with Sarawak pepper which consists of making a pepper sauce with finely chopped shallots browned in butter topped with flour to make a roux and mounted in the sauce. You can grind it on a slice of foie gras or season your fresh foie gras before cooking. You can combine it with grilled meats, poultry, vegetables, fruit-based desserts. Sarawak pepper goes well with a wide variety of dishes. The harvest takes place once a year from April to June. It is usually harvested by hand using traditional methods. ![]() Originally from Malaysia, Sarawak pepper has a protected geographical indication. It is considered one of the best peppers in the world along with Kampot pepper. Sarawak pepper combines the sweetness of these scents with the power of real pepper and offers good length in the mouth without overpowering other flavors. ![]()
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