Production and export of Vietnamese pepper in 2017

Vietnamese pepper has passed a hard year of 2016 because of strong fluctuation of prices. However, collectors, processors, exporters and farmers have overcome many obstacles to success. Surprisingly, the record of export achievement to reached to the highest level. The export volume was 179,233 tonnes of Vietnamese pepper of all kinds and the value equivalently reached nearly $1.5 billion.

In the new year 2017, global pepper market, however, has changed so much. Experts forecast that export of Vietnamese pepperwill be a very difficult year, more difficult than previous years. The quality of Vietnamese pepper will be the most important factor affecting to the pepper trade of Vietnam this year. Also, quality control of raw materials is the most difficult thing to overcome to maintain export turnover.

Demands for this spice in the world market has increased. However, most markets do not accept to purchase pepper that does not the quality requirements. Specifically, the focus trouble is pesticide residues.

This issue will be more carefully scrutinized, especially in markets, where Vietnamese pepper gains good market share. For example, the problem of metalaxyl residue on pepper imported into the EU. Many years ago, the maximum residue allowed (MRLs) of this chemical was 0.1 ppm. However, The European Commission is proposing to apply MRLs only 0.05 ppm in 2017.

According to official information from the European Spices Association (ESA), ESA analyzed 799 samples of black pepper imported into Europe in 2016. However, there was only 17% of samples with the maximum allowable residue level below 0.05ppm.

If this situation still continue in 2017, there will be more than 80% of pepper in Vietnam that will cannot enter the European market. This market consumes approximately 40,000 tonnes, accounting for 23% of total annual Vietnamese pepper exports.

Each year, Vietnam exports more than 40,000 tonnes of pepper to the US. It accounts for 24% of Vietnam’s pepper export volume, equivalent to Europe. The US is preparing to issue a series of new regulations on quality requirements of imported agricultural products, including pepper from Vietnam.

Quality is a vital issue of the pepper in Vietnam in the coming time. However, quality control from the pepper growing areas to meet the export requirements is still a question of concern. The high – yielding psychology for high incomes at all costs of the some farmers has led to excessive use of fertilizers, which pushes pepper into unbalanced growing, susceptible with pest.

  giatieu.com

Source: giatieu.com