Where do peppers originate from?

The fruits of the Capsicum genus are categorized as chili peppers. Peppers are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America . Pepper seeds were imported to Spain in 1493 and then spread through Europe and Asia. The mild bell pepper cultivar was developed in the 1920s, in Szeged, Hungary.

Another query we ran across in our research was “Where do peppers originally come from?”.

One source claimed peppers are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Pepper seeds were imported to Spain in 1493 and then spread through Europe and Asia . The mild bell pepper cultivar was developed in the 1920s, in Szeged, Hungary.

Our answer is that true peppers are something completely different . The pepper you sprinkle on your food is black pepper, and it comes from Piper nigrum, a flowering vine in the Piperaceae family. Do you prefer green or white pepper?

Where does black pepper originate from?

The origins of the black pepper plant aren’t well known. It originated somewhere in South or Southeast Asia , but it isn’t clear where. That’s because black pepper has been traded for at least 4,000 years. The ancient Egyptians used it, and it was obviously a luxury item – peppercorns were used in the mummification rituals of pharaoh Rameses II.

Until well after the Middle Ages, almost all of the world’s black pepper travelled from the Malabar Coast, in India . From there it was traded via the Levant and the merchants of Venice to the rest of Europe — that is, until the Ottoman empire cut off the trade route in the mid 1400s.

Prehistoric remains in Peru show that peppers existed then, and they were cultivated in Central and South America in very early times. Columbus brought them to Europe in 1493, and they were quickly adopted and cultivated. In fact, it was the Europeans that gave peppers their name.

When were chili peppers introduced to India?

It was introduced in India by the Portuguese towards the end of the 15th century . In 21st century Asian cuisine, chili peppers are commonly used across diverse regions. In 2019, 38 million tonnes of green chili peppers were produced worldwide, with China producing half of the total. There are five domesticated species of chili peppers.

This is what I learned. the spread of chili peppers to Asia occurred through its introduction by Portuguese traders, who – aware of its trade value and resemblance to the spiciness of black pepper – promoted its commerce in the Asian spice trade routes. It was introduced in India by the Portuguese towards the end of the 15th century.

Which country is the largest producer of pepper?

Piper nigrum belongs to the Piperaceae family and is a climbing vine indigenous to the Malabar Coast of India. Today, however, Vietnam has made huge efforts to become the largest producer of pepper and is responsible for almost one third of the total pepper production worldwide. India, Brazil, and Indonesia produce the remaining two thirds.