Weekly Publications

MARKET REPORT

Market this week showed a mixed response with only Malaysia local price was reported with a decrease. In local market, Malabar black pepper was reported with an increase of 1% when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 4,715 per Mt. Indonesia black pepper was reported with an increase of 1% when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,359 per Mt. Whilst, Indonesia white pepper was reported stable, averaging at USD 4,475 per Mt. Malaysia black and white pepper were reported with 1% deficit respectively as compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,459 per Mt for black pepper and USD 3,902 per Mt for white pepper. The decrease of Malaysia's pepper could be contributed to the weakening of Malaysian Ringgit against the US Dollar (MYR 4.11 @ USD 1), recording a 1% depreciation. Viet Nam black and white pepper were reported with an increase of 11% respectively as compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,697 per Mt for black pepper and USD 4,215 per Mt for white pepper. Sri Lanka black pepper was reported with an increase of 6% as compared to the previous week and was traded at an average of USD 2,924 per Mt. China white pepper was reported with an increase of 4% deficit as opposed to the previous week and was traded at an average of USD 5,275 per Mt locally.

International market was reported with a rather positive outlook as India black pepper was reported with the same increase of 1% when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 4,989 per Mt. Indonesia black pepper was reported with an increase of 1% when compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 2,857 per Mt. Whilst, Indonesia white pepper was reported stable, averaging at USD 5,217 per Mt. Contrary to the local market, Malaysia black pepper was reported with an increase of 1% as compared to the previous week, averaging at USD 3,870 per Mt. Whilst, Malaysian white pepper was reported stable, averaging at USD 5,260 per Mt. Furthermore, Viet Nam black pepper 500 g/l, 550 g/l and Viet Nam white pepper were reported with an increase of 4%, 4% and 6% respectively as opposed to the previous week, averaging at USD 3,283 per Mt, USD 3,356 per Mt and USD 5,076 per Mt respectively. China white pepper was reported with an increase of 4% deficit as opposed to the previous week and was traded at an average of USD 5,475 per Mt.

US market as well as European markets were reported stable with a slight increasing trend. Muntok white pepper in US Market for CF March/April was reported in the range of USD 5.300 - 5,500 per Mt.

IMPORT OF PEPPER BY SWITZERLAND

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a country situated in the confluence of western, central and southern Europe. Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy, France, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein. Switzerland was reported to actively import pepper from other pepper producing countries for the purpose of domestic consumption as well as the industry.

In 2018, Switzerland was reported to have imported a total 932 Mt of pepper which 49% or 458 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper while 51% or 474 Mt of it was ground pepper. The average import of pepper by Switzerland in 2018 was reported to be 78 Mt per month with the highest quantity recorded in May with 109 Mt. The total expenditure of pepper import by Switzerland in 2018 was reported to be as high as USD 8.2 Million, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Switzerland at USD 9,045 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 8,770 Per Mt for ground pepper.

Year 2019 saw an increasing trend in term of quantity of pepper imported by Switzerland. Switzerland was reported to have imported a total of 1,002 Mt which 49.8% or 499 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper and 50.2% or 503 Mt of it was ground pepper. Thus, recording an increase of 8% when compared to the same period in 2018. The average pepper import by Switzerland in 2019 was reported at 83 Mt per month which peaked also in May with 107 Mt. Although increasing in term of quantity, Switzerland's expenditure of pepper import was reported with a decrease of 13% to a total of USD 7.2 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Switzerland at USD 7,736 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 6,737 per Mt for ground pepper or a decrease by 14% and 23% respectively as compared to 2018.

In 2020, Pepper import by Switzerland was reported with a decrease of 6% as compared to 2019, totaling at 938 Mt which comprised of 53% or 493 Mt of whole pepper and 47% or 445 Mt of ground pepper. The total expenditure of pepper import by Switzerland in 2020 was reported with an increase of 3% when compared to 2019, totaling at USD 7.4 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Switzerland at USD 8,255 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 7,607 per Mt for ground pepper or an increase of 7% and 13% respectively as compared to 2019.

The top five countries of origins of Switzerland's pepper in 2020 were reported to be Viet Nam with 246 Mt (an increase of 2% as compared to 2019), Germany with 216 Mt (an increase of 0.1%), Brazil with 160 Mt (a decrease of 13%), Indonesia with 79 Mt (an increase of 11%) and Spain with 43 Mt (an increase of 27 Mt). The decrease of Switzerland's import from Brazil could be contributed to Switzerland preference of importing from other origin such as Indonesia (an increase of 8 Mt as compared to the same period), Viet Nam (4 Mt) and other European re-export hub such as Spain (27 Mt).