Mondulkiri Pepper Farmers Achieve Success After 12 Years of Resilience Despite Price Slumps

A pepper farmer in Mondulkiri province has achieved success after 12 years of persistent cultivation, overcoming price fluctuations, especially sharp drops during the COVID-19 pandemic. This resilience and belief in the crop have led to favorable market prices, prompting him to expand his cultivation area. Mr. Hou Hoat, 45, residing in Krante village, Pechada district, Mondulkiri province, began cultivating pepper on two hectares of land in 2014, choosing the Bai and Malay varieties. Over the past 12 years, he faced numerous obstacles. Notably, during 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of dried pepper plummeted to between 6,000 and 8,000 riels per kilogram, causing many farmers to abandon their farms or face financial crises. Despite this, Mr. Hou continued to care for his plantation and did not give up on cultivation, confident in the crop and the future market for pepper. Currently, his farm yields an average of approximately six tons per hectare. Dried pepper is being bought at prices ranging from 21,000 to 23,000 riels per kilogram. Due to stable prices and strong market demand, he has decided to expand his cultivation by an additional two hectares in 2026 to increase supply. Mr. Hou Hoat anticipates that pepper prices will continue to remain stable or increase further in the future, which will help improve the living standards of farmers and encourage more expansion. Mr. Song Khang, Director of the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in Mondulkiri, stated that in 2025, the province had a total pepper cultivation area of 1,358 hectares. For 2026, the harvested area is projected to be 1,308 hectares, yielding approximately 3,348 tons. He emphasized that the expansion of pepper cultivation by farmers reflects increased confidence in the market, and Cambodian pepper products continue to receive support from both domestic and international buyers. Source: Kampuchea Thmey Local