Black pepper exports drop significantly in 2016-17
July 1, 2017 at 9:31 AM ,
Rainbow Exports
Black pepper exports drop significantly in 2016-17
Kochi. Exports of pepper from the country dropped rapidly in 2016-17, while imports grew. According to the Masala Board, India exported 17600 tonnes of pepper in the year 2016-17, which was worth US$178.42 million whereas in 2015-16, the export was 28100 tonnes and its cost was US$270.38 million. In this way, the volume of exports decreased by 37 per cent and by 34 per cent according to the price.
On the other hand, imports of black pepper during April-February, 2016-17 alone, were 15644.19 tonne on Kochi port and it saw an increase of 7.9 per cent compared to the same period of the previous year.
However, at national level the import is estimated to be 18,500 tonnes. In the year 2015-16, the import was 19365 tonnes and its value was US$181.71 million.
In the year 2016-17, India imported 11180 tonnes of pepper from Vietnam and other five major importing countries. Exporters say that the export of Indian black pepper is significantly higher than other producing countries. With high prices, the buyers of Malabar pepper turned towards Indonesia and Vietnam. India has lost its many export markets and it is difficult to regain these markets.
Meanwhile, due to cheap imports in India, domestic prices of black pepper decreased a lot in he year.
In the domestic market, on June 20, 2016, the price of black pepper spot Ungarbald was US$10.89 per kg. & in Garbald, the price was US$11.36 per kg., which has now fallen to US$7.81 and US$8.45 per kg respectively. Malabar black pepper is still out of competition in the international market despite decreasing the prices.
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