The increase in imports has kept black pepper prices stable in the domestic market in recent days, affecting demand. Against the domestic price of ₹ 631/kg. with pepper, the imported item reportedly fetches ₹ 600-625 in the North Indian consumer market. According to traders, this has drastically reduced the demand for domestic pepper from Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Kishore Shamji, president of the Indian Pepper and Spice Traders Association (IPSTA), said that pepper imports were higher and were around 3,800 tonnes in August alone. The agricultural community claimed that Vietnamese pepper secretly enters the domestic market for $3,000-$3,500, while Indian pepper fetches $8,025.
The interest is increasing
According to Shamji, domestic demand for pepper is on the rise as masala manufacturers have increased procurement during the festival season. Meanwhile, the Indian Pepper and Spice Traders Growers Planters Consortium – Kerala Chapter submitted a memorandum to the visiting Parliamentary Standing Committee seeking measures to increase domestic production of pepper. Indian pepper production was 65,000 tons and consumption was 85,000 tons, leading to import dependence. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal presented the annual Export Excellence Award to Ashvin Subramanyan, Managing Director, of International Trade, Eastern Region, in the presence of Babu Sivan, General Manager, of Middle East and Africa, and Bincy Biju, Head of Export Operations . . Oriental bags 24th consecutive Spices Board India award win Jeffry Rebello, UPASI president Upasi is asking for export incentives for planting plants, and value-added goods. The consortium wanted the commission to convince the Ministry of Agriculture of the need to support pepper cultivation at the grassroots level to increase domestic production. Pepper production in 2024 is likely to be around 50,000 tonnes due to lack of rain and imports are expected to increase. Speculative purchases of the previous season pushed the prices of peppers to a new level but did not bring joy to the farmers due to the lack of crops.
