The main pepper producing areas in the world are Brazil, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Vietnam is the largest pepper exporter, accounting for 40%-50% of the global pepper trade.
Legend has it that Zhang Qian sent an envoy to the Western Regions and brought it back to China. By the middle of the Ming Dynasty, pepper had been introduced, and its planting range was gradually expanded, becoming one of the common plants in later generations.
China's pepper producing areas are Hainan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Taiwan Province, Fujian, Guangxi and other provinces, among which Hainan's pepper production accounts for more than 90% of China's total output, mainly distributed in Haikou, Wenchang, Anding, Qiongzhong, Sanya and other counties and cities.
Distribution of pepper varieties
1. Black pepper: It is native to the coast of Malaba, India, and is cultivated in Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Hainan and other places in China. It is one of the earliest spices used by people and the most widely used spice now.
2. White pepper: mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and other places, with yellow-white or yellow-white surface, smooth, mostly with light linear stripes between the top and the base, and slightly higher medicinal value than black pepper.
3. Green pepper: low spicy, used in duck dishes, cream and milk ester products, mainly produced in Brazil, Malaysia, Ceylon, Thailand, Singapore and other places.
4. Red pepper: native to Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, it was later introduced to many places, mainly as a decorative or shade plant.