17/03/2022 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission announced on Thursday 17 March that it had added ‘Penja pepper’ from Cameroon to the list of protected geographical indications (PGIs). ‘Penja pepper’ is cultivated in the Penja region on the hills of Mount Koupé in the Littoral region of Cameroon using well-established expertise. It is cultivated in the traditional way and harvested manually. ‘Penja pepper’ has a woody, amber and musky aroma. The special characteristics of ‘Penja pepper’ stem from the geo-climatic conditions of the Penja region, where the volcanic soil and the warm, humid climate allow the pepper plant to thrive. It is the second African PGI in the EU, after ‘Rooibos’ tea from South Africa. This new designation will be added to the list of 1,576 agricultural products already protected. (LC)