Pepper is identified as one of the three main long-term industrial crops in the mountainous region of Quang Tri province. Pepper trees are grown in many districts with a total area of over 2,000 hectares, mainly in Vinh Linh, Cam Lo, Gio Linh and Huong Hoa districts.

Pepper plants have been grown in Quang Tri since the late 19th - early 20th century. Although Quang Tri is not a large pepper growing place like other localities in the Central Highlands and Southeast regions of Vietnam such as Binh Phuoc, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Ba Ria - Vung Tau... Quang Tri pepper is highly appreciated by customers, known by many people in the country and around the world and called "black gold".

Since ancient times, Quang Tri pepper has been consumed in the domestic market and exported to France, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Pepper is identified as one of the three main perennial industrial crops of Quang Tri province and once brought high income. However, due to price fluctuations and many harmful diseases, many pepper gardens died. Quang Tri province has mobilized people to destroy old, perennial pepper gardens and implemented support policies to build and replicate the model of planting and caring for pepper according to organic process, biosafety, sustainable development.

The local authorities and mass organizations have called for and support local people to gradually restore old pepper gardens and apply farming methods towards organic, sustainable development. Thanks to that, farmers in many places have built a number of new models that initially show positive signs, as pepper trees grow and develop well, bear many fruits, and especially are not infected with pests.

To expand the pepper area of high quality, the province has many policies to support and encourage people as well as apply science and technology to production.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection of Quang Tri province, by 2022 the province had 2,700 hectares of pepper. Of which, over 92 hectares of pepper trees of 3 organizations are certified as organic pepper with an output of nearly 100 tons/year. The organic products are purchased by production organizations at prices 10-15% higher than the market. On October 13, 2014, the National Office of Intellectual Property issued a decision on granting certificates of registration of geographical indication for the famous pepper products of Quang Tri province.

The Department of Science and Technology of Quang Tri province is the agency managing this geographical indication. The geographical indication area for pepper products in Quang Tri province includes: Ho Xa town, Vinh Hien, Vinh Hoa, Vinh Nam communes of Vinh Linh district.

In September 2017, the Department of Science and Technology of Quang Tri amended geographical indications with modifications to product types, properties, and specific quality of products in the direction of highlighting differences of products compared to similar products in other regions and expanding geographical areas.

In April 2018, the National Office of Intellectual Property issued a Decision on amending the Certificate of Geographical Indication Registration. Specifically, after the amendment, the geographical indication area for pepper products of Quang Tri province to include: Cam Chinh, Cam Nghia and Cam Thanh communes of Cam Lo district; Gio Linh town, the communes of Trung Son, Gio Phong, Gio An, Gio Binh, Gio Chau, Gio Hoa, Gio Son, Hai Thai, Linh Hai, Linh Thuong and Vinh Truong in Gio Linh district; Ho Xa town, Ben Quan town, the communes of Vinh Tu, Vinh Chap, Vinh Trung, Vinh Kim, Vinh Thach, Vinh Long, Vinh Nam, Vinh Khe, Vinh Hoa, Vinh Hien, Vinh Thuy, Vinh Thanh, Vinh Tan, Cua Tung town, Vinh Ha, Vinh Son and Vinh Giang of Vinh Linh district; Khe Sanh town, the communes of Tan Lien, Huong Phun and Tan Lap in Huong Hoa district.

Currently, a number of Quang Tri pepper products have been certified as 4-star OCOP products by the People's Committee of Quang Tri province.

PV