Vietnam spices up its business links
HANOI - Vietnam, the world's largest pepper producer and exporter, will join the International Pepper Community (IPC) in September, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said Thursday.
The communist nation will formally accede to the inter-governmental organization during its 32nd annual meeting in Indonesia September 27-30.
"When Vietnam becomes a full member of the IPC it will have better access to the latest information on science and technology and production," said Nguyen Viet Vinh from the ministry's international relations department.
"Membership could also result in Vietnam being able to increase its exports of pepper with not only countries in the region but across the world, thereby expanding its global markets," he added.
In the first quarter of this year Vietnam produced 17 000 tonnes of pepper worth $23 million (R145 million), a 9.6-percent year-on-year rise in volume and a 2.7-percent increase in value.
The Jakarta-based IPC was established in 1972 under United Nations auspices to coordinate all activities relating to the global production and trade of pepper.
Currently only Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka are full members, while Papua New Guinea is an associate member. Other pepper-producing countries such as China, Thailand and Madagascar have yet to join.
Agence France Presse - April 15, 2004.
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