Weekly Publications

MARKET REPORT

Market this week showed a positive response as no origins were reported with a decrease. In local market, Malabar black pepper was reported with an increase of 4% when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 4,926 per Mt. Indonesia black and white pepper were reported with an increase of 6% and 5% respectively when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,493 per Mt for black pepper and USD 4,710 per Mt for white pepper. The increase of Indonesia pepper could be contributed to the increase of demand while the stock was limited. Malaysia black and white pepper were reported with an increase of 2% and 1% respectively as compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,501 per Mt for black pepper and USD 3,942 per Mt for white pepper.

Viet Nam black and white pepper were reported with a significant increase of 16% and 14% respectively as compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 3,128 per Mt for black pepper and USD 4,801 per Mt for white pepper. Viet Nam pepper price has significantly kept increasing after Tet Holiday. Thus, making Viet Nam pepper market to be unpredictable as it affected processors, industrial manufactures and growers. IPC observed that the unpredictable pepper price of Viet Nam would create an unwanted effect for both sellers and buyers as it is being a risky venture.

Furthermore, Sri Lanka black pepper was reported with an increase of 4% as compared to the previous week and was traded at an average of USD 3,051 per Mt. China white pepper was reported with an increase of 6% as opposed to the previous week and was traded at an average of USD 5,594 per Mt locally. The increase of China's pepper could be contributed to the increasing demand from China inland market whilst stock was limited. Furthermore, the cold weather in the beginning of 2021 had affected growth of pepper in China which would be estimated to result in decrease of production this year.

International market was also reported with a positive outlook as India black pepper was reported with the same increase of 4% when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 5,202 per Mt. Indonesia black and white pepper were reported with an increase of 5% respectively when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 3,010 per Mt for black pepper and USD 5,479 per Mt for white pepper. Malaysia black and white pepper were reported with an increase of 2% and 1% respectively as compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 3,950 per Mt for black pepper and USD 5,300 per Mt for white pepper. Furthermore, Viet Nam black pepper 500 g/l, 550 g/l and Viet Nam white pepper were reported with an increase of 10%, 8% and 5% respectively as opposed to the previous week, averaging at USD 3,595 per Mt, USD 3,635 per Mt and USD 5,794 per Mt respectively. China white pepper was reported with an increase of 6% as opposed to the previous week and was traded at an average of USD 5,794 per Mt.

IMPORT OF PEPPER BY FRANCE

France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. Pepper was one the earliest commodities that was traded between the Orient and Europe including France. Furthermore, France actively imports pepper from various pepper producing countries for domestic consumption or for re-export.

In 2018, France was reported to have imported a total 11,371 Mt of pepper which 76% or 8,612 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper while 24% or 2,759 Mt of it was ground pepper. The average import of pepper by France in 2018 was reported to be 948 Mt per month with the highest quantity recorded in March with 1,325 Mt. The total expenditure of pepper import by France in 2018 was reported to be as high as USD 57.8 Million, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by France at USD 4,601 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 6,595 Per Mt for ground pepper.

Year 2019 saw a decreasing trend in term of quantity of pepper imported by France. France was reported to have imported a total of 11,261 Mt which 75% or 8,449 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper and 25% or 2,812 Mt of it was ground pepper. Thus, recording a decrease of 1% when compared to 2018. The average pepper import by France in 2019 was reported at 938 Mt per month which peaked in April with 1,219 Mt. In relation with the decreasing in terms of quantity, France's expenditure of pepper import was reported with a decrease of 18% to a total of USD 47.2 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by France at USD 3,836 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 5,278 per Mt for ground pepper or a decrease by 17% and 20% respectively as compared to 2018.

In 2020, Pepper import by France was reported with an increase of 7% as compared to 2019, totaling at 12,035 Mt which comprised of 78% or 9,412 Mt of whole pepper and 22% or 2,623 Mt of ground pepper. The total expenditure of pepper import by France in 2020 was reported with a slight decrease by 0.3% when compared to 2019, totaling at USD 47.1 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by France at USD 3,484 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 5,462 per Mt for ground pepper or a decrease by 9% for whole pepper and an increase of 3% for ground pepper as compared to 2019.

The top five countries of origins of France's pepper in 2020 were reported to be Viet Nam with 4,824 Mt (an increase of 36% as compared to 2019), Brazil with 2,824 Mt (a decrease of 6%), Germany with 1,318 Mt (an increase of 5%), Indonesia with 1,284 Mt (an increase of 4%) and Netherlands with 419 Mt (a decrease of 18 Mt). The decrease of France's import from Brazil and Netherlands could be contributed to France preference of importing from other origin such as Viet Nam (an increase of 1,285 Mt as compared to 2019).