The Southeast Asian grapefruit, or pomelo, stands out for its vibrant green color, crispy texture, and particularly sweet taste. Koh Trong Island, situated on the Mekong near Kratie, is brimming with these citrus fruits that earned Protected Geographical Indication status in June 2018. A distinction that further boosts this small island's appeal and tempts travelers eager to taste the delicacy.

To reach the idyllic Koh Trong Island, simply hop aboard a small boat from Kratie. Once ashore, you discover countryside of quiet charm. Some 330 families inhabit the island and its two villages. The main road, stretching 9 km, guides you past charming houses, most with lovely gardens. You'll notice at every turn, on nearly every plot of land, magnificent pomelo trees. Not ordinary ones, mind you, but those yielding the famous Koh Trong pomelosthat are recognized worldwide by Protected Geographical Indication status. This citrus is the third Cambodian product to receive this distinction, following Kampot pepper and Kampong Speu palm sugar.

A Price Point Under Debate

The island and surrounding Koh Trong commune contain thousands of these pomelo trees—over 13,000 precisely—spread across 35 hectares. If you visit, you'll have no trouble tasting the pomellos straight from the fruit tree. The locals, remarkably welcoming, readily open their doors to travelers. Made famous in the 1960s, the citrus fruits are harvested twice a year in October-November and March-April.

The PGI distinction motivated producers to expand production further, though the fruit isn't endemic to this region, being cultivated also in Kampong Cham and farther afield in Battambang. After maximized sales, chiefly from tourists boosted by the citrus's media attention in the region, the fruit now struggles to ride the PGI wave. In Phnom Penh markets, for example, vendors prefer to sell Battambang grapefruits, uncertified, at just $2.50 each—a dollar less than Koh Trong's.

The Koh Trong pomelo producers' association hasn't said its last word. For them, if sales haven't yet surged across Cambodge, it's because the fruit's quality and story remain unknown throughout the country. They now want to focus on marketing and communications to entice Khmer consumers toward these internationally recognized citrus fruits.