Vietnam Holds 50 per cent of World's Commercial Pepper Output: VPA

Vietnam has become the world's largest pepper exporter, accounting for 50 per cent of commercial pepper output in the world, ranking ahead of India and Indonesia, as the country supplied 110,000 tons of pepper abroad last year, according to the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA).

 

Thirty-five per cent of the export volume was high-grade white pepper, said the chairman of VPA Do Ha Nam.

 

Although Vietnamese pepper products are currently available in 73 countries and territories worldwide, including the US, EU, and the Middle East, it is priced several hundred dollars per ton lower than pepper from other countries’.

 

Strong price increases on the world market last month have been encouraging to domestic producers. Following the international trend, the export price of Vietnamese pepper rose by USUS$50 to USUS$1,200 per ton, buoying local prices to VND19 million (roughly USUS$1,195) per ton.

 

The VPA said international markets still offer good prospects for pepper producers and exporters while Vietnamese pepper has fetched considerably low prices over the time.

 

On-going prolonged droughts in Vietnam are expected to decrease this year’s total pepper output. However, the association said the lower yields would have a little impact on Vietnam's exports because of continued efforts to expand pepper cultivation.