Weekly Publications

MARKET REPORT

Following the celebration of Chinese New Year or Tet Holiday, markets in China and in Viet Nam were reported to be inactive until the fourth week of January. Market in other origins this week showed a rather negative outlook. In local market, Malabar black pepper was traded with a 2% deficit as compared to the previous week with an average of USD 4,479 per Mt. In local currency, Malabar black pepper was traded at an average of INR 318 per Kg. Indonesia black pepper was reported with a 2% deficit as compared to the previous week with an average of USD 1,795 per Mt. Whilst, Indonesia white pepper was reported stable at an average of USD 3,150 per Mt for white pepper.

Malaysian black and white pepper were reported stable at an average of USD 1,874 per Mt for black pepper and USD 3,318 per Mt for white pepper. Sri Lanka black pepper continued to be traded with a deficit and this week by 7% as compared to the previous week at an average of USD 3,074 per Mt.

International market also showed a rather negative a outlook. FOB price of India black pepper was reported with the same 2% deficit as compared to the previous week at an average of USD 4,760 per Mt. Indonesia black was reported with a decrease of 2% as compared to the previous week at an average of USD 2,222 per Mt. Whilst, Indonesia white pepper was reported steady at an average of USD 3,750 per Mt. Furthermore, Malaysia black and white pepper continued to be traded stable and unchanged.

IMPORT OF PEPPER BY AUSTRALIA

Australia, officially the commonwealth of Australia is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent. Australia actively imports pepper from various pepper producing countries for its domestic consumption or for re-export purpose.

In 2017, Australia was reported to have imported a total of 4,012 Mt of pepper which 49% or 1,968 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper while 51% or 2,044 Mt of it was ground pepper. The average import by Australia in 2017 was reported to be 334 Mt per month with the highest quantity recorded in September with 603 Mt. The total expenditure of pepper import by Australia was reported to be as high as USD 27.5 Million, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Australia at USD 7,042 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 6,715 Per Mt for ground pepper.

Year 2018 saw a decreasing trend in term of quantity of pepper imported by Australia. Australia was reported to have imported a total of 3,828 Mt which comprised of 55% or 2,103 Mt of whole pepper and 45% or 1,725 Mt of ground pepper. Thus, recording a decrease of 5% as compared to the same period in 2017. On average Australia was reported to have imported 319 Mt per month which peaked in January with 528 Mt. In accordance with decreasing in term of quantity, Australia's expenditure for pepper import was reported to have declined by 24% to a total of USD 21.0 Million, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Australia at USD 5,865 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 5,076 per Mt for ground pepper or a decrease by 17% and 24% respectively as compared with 2017.

Pepper import by Australia as of November 2019 was reported relatively stable and slightly unchanged as compared with the same period in 2018, totaling at 3,362 Mt which comprised of 1,692 Mt of whole pepper and 1,670 Mt of ground pepper. The total expenditure of pepper import by Australia as of November 2019 was reported with a decrease by 15% as compared to the same period in the previous year, totaling at USD 16.4 Million.

The top five countries of origins of Australia's pepper as of November 2019 were reported to be Viet Nam with 1,943 Mt (a decrease of 10% as compared with the same period in 2018), India with 656 Mt (an increase of 39%), South Africa with 171 Mt (a decrease of 19%), China with 129 Mt (an increase of 45%) and Indonesia with 125 Mt (an increase of 16%). The decrease of Australia import from Viet Nam could be contributed that Australia started to shift import to other origins country such as India, China and Indonesia (an increase by 183 Mt, 40 Mt and 18 Mt respectively as compared to the same period in 2018)