A pepper farmers cooperative hoping to capitalize on the growing market for Cambodian pepper has more than doubled its members from 108 last year to more than 250 in 2011, the cooperative said. Yin Sopha, leader of the Da Memot Pepper Cooperative, said that in 2010 farmers only produced 1,000 tons of pepper, but will aim to produce 2,000 tons in 2011 as it attempts to attract international suppliers.
The cooperative, designed to help farmers secure better prices, has already spoken to representatives of the Indian-American AVT McCormick as well as the Singaporean company OLAM. “We have negotiated with each other, and they sent their experts to check on our pepper standard,” he said. “We did not determine the exact amount of pepper they need to buy from us.” The cooperative began in May 2010, looking to benefit from some of the popularity of its neighbor, Kampot pepper, which attained a Geographical Indication status. “The demand from the international market is increasing, while there is a lack of supply,” he said.
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