What pushes Vietnam ahead in Pepper
Vietnam's a country that used to grow only 15,000 hectares of pepper in 1999, has more than tripled
its hectarage to more than 45,000 hectares in 2003, with its yield reaching 75,000 – 80,000 tonnes.
In the first nine months of 2003, the country exported 62,000 tonnes of pepper, topping other major
pepper growing countries like India and Indonesia in term of the export volume.
Vietnam's pepper currently makes up one-third of the world' s total output and its black pepper export
volume accounts for nearly 50 percent of the international market share.
What has caused this sudden surge in pepper production in Vietnam?
The surge in pepper production in Vietnam over the past years has been attributed to the profit
received by growing pepper vines, which was 32.8 times more profitable than that of coffee, 16 times
more profitable than that of rubber and 14 times more profitable than that of cashews.
The farmers of the Southern Binh Phuoc province had taken this cue on the profits and now the
province has the largest pepper growing area, followed by the central highlands Dac Lac province,
then by southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and then by southern Dong Nai province.
According to the ministry of trade in Vietnam, “ This year we plan to export more than 80,000 tonnes
of the pepper ”.
Spizes.com - October 04, 2003.
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