Implementing the resolution of the Board of Directors, the Vietnam Pepper Association organized a large-scale pepper survey that took place in 2 phases. Phase 1 from December 1 to 2, 2020 in the two provinces of Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau. Phase 2 from December 15-18, 2020 at Binh Phuoc, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai. These are two key regions with pepper growing area accounting for more than 90% of the country’s pepper area.
1. Purpose
In the context that Vietnam is the leading country in terms of global pepper production and export, conducting surveys to assess production and productivity before the season is always a matter of concern for experts. especially pepper exporters for their upcoming business strategy. Through the survey, the factors of cultivation process, development direction, inventory, ability to maintain pepper garden and the influence of weather, pests and diseases were also assessed relatively. . Thereby helping businesses participating in the survey to find opportunities to cooperate with farmers and agents to supply quality goods suitable for their production and business activities.
2. Composition of the working group
– Office of Vietnam Pepper Association.
– Representatives of 14 pepper businesses participating in phase 1 and 13 units participating in phase 2.
3. Result
After interviewing a number of farmers, agents and directly surveying pepper gardens, the results of the assessment of the pepper situation in the surveyed areas are as follows:
Certified organic pepper production model
Phase 1: Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau
Compared with Xuyen Moc district, the area of pepper in Xuan Loc, Cam My and Chau Duc districts decreased a lot due to the low price of pepper, farmers limited investment in caring for pepper gardens, the area of pepper was dead and old. replaced by other crops. Newly planted area is only observed in Xuyen Moc area but the amount is not significant. The model of raising manure to fertilize pepper plants is quite popular in Dong Nai area, thus helping farmers save costs and increase income. This source of income has helped farmers in Dong Nai area to be less under financial pressure and thus, the inventory of surveyed households is still there. However, this number is quite modest and belongs to long-term pepper garden farmers with well-off economic conditions. The remaining majority is said to have been sold out to purchasing agents.
The biggest concern for pepper farmers in Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau at present is the high labor cost. This is a factor that is directly related to production costs and affects farmers’ decisions to maintain pepper gardens or reinvest or not. With the current pepper price of about ±54,000 VND/kg while the labor cost ranges from 200,000-230,000 VND/work/day, pepper farmers still face many difficulties.
Although the area is reduced, most pepper gardens in Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau provinces cultivate in a clean and sustainable direction, using manure and organic fertilizers as the main ones, minimizing the use of manure. chemicals and pesticides. Part of the reason is that farmers are not eligible to invest in the context of low prices and above all, people’s awareness is improved. Therefore, pepper is expected to have good quality in the coming season.
According to local farmers, the output of pepper in the 20/21 crop year may decrease by 30-40% compared to the previous year due to the sudden drought occurring at the time of flowering and the lack of investment making the chain serrated and sparse left. However, the survey team assessed that the output of pepper in the two provinces could decrease by 20-25%. At present, it is not possible to give an estimate of the specific pepper production of the Southeast region as the survey scope is only representative and the new statistical area data for the whole region has not yet been reported.
In addition to farmers, the survey team also visited two large agents and a pepper export cooperative in Dong Nai province. As a result, the amount of inventory in the warehouse is still high, excluding the quantity sold but not yet released from the warehouse. The situation of high freight rates and the lack of space on the ship caused an amount of inventory that could not be released.
Many pepper gardens have begun to intercrop many other crops.
Phase 2: Binh Phuoc – Dak Nong – Dak Lak – Gia Lai
Bu Dop – Binh Phuoc: Recorded a sharp decrease when the number of old pepper gardens occupies most of the area. In addition, the causes from the lack of investment, care, disease and weather are gradually contributing to the narrowing of pepper area in the province. According to Mr. Bui Quoc Hai – Chairman of Hung Phuoc Cooperative, the harvested output in the 20/21 crop of the cooperative decreased compared to the previous crop, specifically, the output in 2021 the cooperative harvests is estimated at 90-100 tons, compared to 2020. production reached 300 tons and in 2019 reached 400 tons. Besides the reduced harvested area due to disease and old age, the rest of the trees, despite being taken care of, still have sparse fruit. Meanwhile, the new planting area was not recorded. According to Mr. Hai’s assessment, there is very little inventory in the population, only in the hands of a few households with good economic conditions. Particularly for Mr. Hai’s 5 hectares of pepper, even if he is given a bonus for products that are nearly as organic as the previous year, at the current price, the revenue brought back can only cover 50% of the cost. However, 100% of the cooperative’s harvested products are close to organic, which is also a good thing in the context of import markets like Europe increasingly stricter regulations on the amount of residue allowed.
Dak R’Lap, Dak Song, Dak Mil – Dak Nong: This is the area with the largest pepper area and the highest yield compared to other pepper growing regions across the country. Most of the area is a young pepper garden under 10 years old, which is in the stage of good yield. However, extreme weather has affected pepper gardens in Dak Nong similar to other regions such as short chains and serrations. Even some gardens are observed to show that the plants grow very well but do not produce strings. Through survey information, the yield of pepper in the 20/21 season among districts of Tuy Duc, Dak R’Lap, Dak Song and Dak Mil decreased to different extents, but the average decrease was 15-20% in the province. Dak Nong is rated the lowest in the country. Crop failure, low yield in the next season will likely push up the cost of picking, which is a concern of most pepper farmers. Agreeing with the surveyed farmers, the agents said that the output of the 20/21 crop was generally reduced and currently the stock of agents and farmers is not much.
Cu Kuin, Buon Ho Town – Dak Lak: It is a picture of pepper with 2 quite different colors between Cu Kuin and Buon Ho districts. Although the productivity of pepper in Cu Kuin district is assessed to be reduced, many remaining good gardens are still invested and cared for. According to Mr. Nguyen Manh The – Head of the farmer association of Ea Ning commune, in the 20/21 crop, pepper output in the commune may decrease by up to 30% due to sparse chains and serrations. In fact, the stock of 100 members in the branch is about 20%. Tx Buon Ho shows a darker color when the pepper mortality rate is not less than 50%. The dead pepper area has been gradually replaced by coffee and some other crops.
Gia Lai: Chu Se, Dak Doa, and Mang Yang districts all recorded a sharp decrease in harvested area by about 50% compared to the peak period in 2017. Only in Nam Yang cooperative alone, the remaining pepper area is about 20 hectares out of the total. nearly 60 hectares. In 4 villages of Hai Yang commune, Dak Doa, only village 3 has 20 households, showing that pepper trees are still well maintained and cultivated in an organic way. The pepper area of the remaining villages in the commune was almost wiped out. Accordingly, Gia Lai’s pepper output in the 20/21 crop is predicted to decrease by 60% compared to the peak year.
Pepper gardens infected with pests and diseases cannot be saved.
4. Conclusion and recommendations
After summarizing the opinions of the survey team, the following conclusions were reached:
Phase 1: Dong Nai, Ba Ria – Vung Tau
Along with the decrease in area due to lack of care, pepper production in Dong Nai region may decrease by 25% and BRVT by 20% in crop year 20/21. Inventories are still in some well-off farmers, dealers and speculators. The movement of clean and sustainable pepper production has been expanding. However, in order to continue to maintain production and reinvest in pepper gardens, the labor cost factor is prioritized by farmers to consider and consider.
According to the proposal of some exporters, purchasing agents are also the object of interest to exporters to assess inventory levels and thereby express their desire to expand the scope of survey agents in the schedule. Association’s upcoming survey.
Phase 2: Binh Phuoc, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai
Pepper output in Binh Phuoc province may decrease by over 50%; Dak Nong reduced 20%; Gia Lai is down 60% compared to the peak period in 2017. Dak Lak province alone cannot be assessed relatively because the survey is only representative in the two districts of Cu Kuin and Buon Ho and productivity shows the difference between region. However, it is quite possible that the pepper output of Dak Lak province will decrease by 30%. Nationwide, Vietnam’s pepper production in 2021 may decrease by 25-30% compared to 2020.
According to the data of the General Department of Vietnam Customs: In 2020, the whole country exported about 286,000 tons, with an estimated turnover of 663 million USD, up 0.6% in volume but down 7.2% in value compared to 2019. .
VPA’s recommendation: Request the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and related departments and agencies to direct the local Departments of Agriculture to make full statistics on the area of pepper that has died due to pests and diseases, barren, and low productivity. change to other crops and the actual total area of pepper in the provinces.
According to the VPA
