| Malabar pepper | |
| Description: | Black pepper grown in Malabar region |
| Type: | Agricultural |
| Area: | Malabar region in Kerala Western Tamil Nadu |
| Country: | India |
| Registered: | 2007–08 |
Malabar pepper is a variety of black pepper from the Malabar region of the present day of the Indian state of Kerala. It originated as a chance seedling in the region and was one of the spices traded with Roman and Arab traders, and later with European navigators.[1] The area of production of this variety of pepper spans across the Malabar Coast, Western Tamil Nadu and Southern Karnataka.[1]
It was declared as a Geographical indication in 2007–08.[2] The application for registration was made by Spices Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.[3]
The plant (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is a small drupe five millimetres in diameter, dark red when fully mature, containing a single seed.[4] Malabar pepper is classified under two grades known as garbled and un-garbled. The garbled variety is black in colour nearly globular with a wrinkled surface. The ungarbled variety has a wrinkled surface and the color varies from dark brown to black.[1]