When Christopher Columbus and his crew reached the Caribbean, they were the first Europeans to encounter Capsicum fruits. They called them "peppers" because, like black pepper (Piper nigrum), which had long been known in Europe, they have a hot spicy taste unlike other foods. Chilies were first brought back to Europe by the Spanish, who financed Columbus's voyages, at the start of the large-scale interchange of plants and culture between the New World and the Old World called the Columbian exchange. Chilies appear in Spanish records by 1493. Unlike Piper vines, which grow naturally only in the tropics, chilies could be grown in temperate climates. By the mid-1500s, they had become a common garden plant in Spain and were incorporated into numerous dishes. By 1526, they had appeared in Italy, in 1543 in Germany, and by 1569 in the Balkans, where they came to be processed into paprika.

The potential recognition of Chillies with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag holds the promise of not only elevating its international standing but also boosting the economic prosperity of the region. This initiative stands as a commendable effort towards highlighting the rich agricultural heritage of India. Among these 46 selected items is the distinctive Khargone Red Chillies, a signature crop of the Nimar region. These chillies have already gained traction in international markets as part of the government’s ‘One District, One Product‘ initiative.