Vietnam occupies nearly 60% of the total amount of exported pepper worldwide

In an international conference held by the Indian Pepper & Spice Trade Association, Mrs. Hoang Thi Lien, Executive Director of International Pepper Community (IPC), has revealed that, in 2020, the global pepper quantity was 561,500 tons, up 1% over 2019.

The global pepper quantity in the last 10 years has increased significantly compared to 2011. Granted that in 2011, the global pepper quantity was 234,418 tons, by 2021 it was 561,500 tons, as mentioned. Calculatedly, the global pepper quantity has increased 72% in the last 10 years.

Vietnam maintains being the country that has the largest pepper production in the world. In 2020, Vietnam’s pepper production accounts for 43% of the total global pepper quantity. Brazil is right behind Vietnam. By virtue of the expansion of cultivated acreage in Espirito Santos, since 2019 Brazil has surpassed Indonesia to become the country that ranked second in pepper production quantity with 80,000 tons.

For the last 10 years, pepper production of pepper-producing countries has an annual increase rate of 6%, and the highest rate recorded in 2017 was 19%.

In 2020, Vietnam continued to be the largest pepper exporter in the world, occupying 59% of the total global exported pepper quantity with 285,292 tons, next were Brazil occupying 18% with 89,756 tons and Indonesia occupying 11% with 51,718 tons. India exported 15,924 tons.

The USA still holds the position of the biggest pepper importer in the world, which accounts for 28% of the market share of imported pepper globally. Behind the US there’s China, with approximately 16% in the first months of 2020.

According to information from Vietnam Pepper Association, the pepper production quantity of Vietnam tends to decrease due to the diminishment of acreage, many areas had died from disease or had been transferred for other crops, many farming households had reduced investment for pepper because of the low price which leads to a decrease in productivity…

It is estimated that in the crop year 2020 - 2021, Vietnam’s pepper quantity will drop about 25% to 30%, down to 168 - 180 thousand tons. With a strong downward trend in output, Vietnam’s share in the total world pepper output is likely to reduce in the coming years. At the same time, the amount of pepper for export will also reduce, thereby helping the export price of pepper and the price of pepper in the country have a chance to increase in the years to come.