Weekly Publications

MARKET REPORT

Market this week showed a mixed response with only India and Viet Nam black pepper FOB price was reported with a decrease. In local market, Malabar black pepper was reported with 1% deficit as compared to the previous week, at an average of USD 4,494 per Mt. Indonesia black and white pepper were reported with an increase of 1% respectively when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,508 per Mt for black pepper and USD 4,157 per Mt for white pepper. Malaysia black and white pepper were also reported with an increase of 1% respectively as opposed to the previous week, to an average of USD 2,332 per Mt for black pepper and USD 3,822 per Mt for white pepper. Furthermore, Viet Nam black and white pepper were reported stable, averaging at USD 2,259 per Mt for black pepper and USD 3,050 per Mt for white pepper. Sri Lanka black pepper was reported with an increase of 2% as compared to the previous week and was traded at an average of USD 2,849 per Mt. China white pepper was reported stable and was traded at an average of USD 5,100 per Mt locally.

International market was also reported with a mixed response as India black pepper was reported with the same 1% deficit as compared to the previous week, at an average of USD 4,768 per Mt. Indonesia black and white pepper were reported with an increase of 1% respectively when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 3,033 per Mt for black pepper and USD 4,869 per Mt for white pepper. Malaysia black and white pepper were reported stable and unchanged. Furthermore, Viet Nam black pepper 500 g/l and 550 g/l were reported with 1% deficit respectively as opposed to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,835 per Mt and USD 2,916 per Mt respectively. Whilst, Viet Nam white pepper were reported stable at an average of USD 4,405 per Mt. China white pepper was reported stable with a marginal increase and was traded at an average of USD 5,300 per Mt.

IMPORT OF PEPPER BY JAPAN

Japan is an island country located in East Asia. It is bordered by the Sea of Japan, Pacific Ocean, East China Sea and Philippines Sea. Japan actively imports pepper from various pepper producing countries for its domestic consumption or for re-export purpose.

In 2018, Japan was reported to have imported a total 9,485 Mt of pepper which 57% or 5,428 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper while 43% or 4,057 Mt of it was ground pepper. The average import of pepper by Japan in 2018 was reported to be 790 Mt per month with the highest quantity recorded in May with 947 Mt. The total expenditure of pepper import by Japan in 2018 was reported to be as high as USD 55.2 Million, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Japan at USD 5,442 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 6,332 Per Mt for ground pepper.

Year 2019 saw an increasing trend in term of quantity of pepper imported by Japan. Japan was reported to have imported a total of 9,714 Mt which 59% or 5,695 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper and 41% or 4,019 Mt of it was ground pepper. Thus, recording an increase of 2% when compared to the same period in 2018. The average pepper imported by Japan in 2019 was reported at 810 Mt per month which peaked in December with 968 Mt. Although increasing in term of quantity, Japan's expenditure of pepper import was reported with a decrease of 18% to a total of USD 45.0 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Japan at USD 4,390 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 4,994 per Mt for ground pepper or a decrease by 19% and 21% respectively as compared to 2018.

As of October 2020, Pepper import by Japan was reported with a decrease of 0.3% as compared to the same period in 2019, totaling at 7,837 Mt which comprised of 57% or 4,452 Mt of whole pepper and 43% or 3,384 Mt of ground pepper. The total expenditure of pepper import by Japan as of October 2020 was reported with a decrease of 18% when compared to the same period in the previous year, totaling at USD 34.1 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Japan at USD 4,126 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 4,651 per Mt for ground pepper.

The top five countries of origins of Japan's pepper as of October 2020 were reported to be Malaysia with 2,960 Mt (a decrease of 6% as compared to the same period in 2019), Indonesia with 2,478 Mt (an increase of 3%), Viet Nam with 2,122 Mt (an increase of 16%), India with 168 Mt (a decrease of 58%) and Brazil with 31 Mt (an increase of 96%). The decreased of Japan's import from India and Malaysia could be contributed to Japan preference of importing from Viet Nam which offered more competitive price (an increase by 289 Mt as compared to the same period in 2019), Indonesia (an increase by 80 Mt) and Brazil (an increase by 15 Mt).