(June 25) – Indian pepper exports plummeted by 37% in 2016/2017, while imports increased, according to Business Line.
According to the Spices Department, India exported 17,600 tons of pepper of all kinds, valued at Rs 1,141.89 million in the fiscal year 2016/2017, compared to 28,100 tons of pepper worth Rs 1,730.42 million. in the previous fiscal year 2016/2016. As a result, pepper exports decreased by 37% in volume and 34% in value. India's fiscal year begins on 1 April of the previous year and ends on March 31 of the following year.
In the period from April 2016 to February 2017 (11 months), Kochi port alone imported 15,644 tons, up 7.9% compared to the same period last year. An estimated whole India during this period imported about 18,500 tons. For the fiscal year 2015/2016, the total amount of imported pepper was 19,365, valued at Rs 1,162.96 million, the source added.
In 2016, India imported 11,180 tons of pepper from Vietnam and was one of the five main importing countries from this source. Export business sources said exports fell sharply because Indian pepper prices are now higher than other countries' pepper prices.
“Many buyers of Malabar pepper have switched to Indonesian and Vietnamese pepper. Therefore, we have lost many of our export markets and it is a very difficult task for exporters to reclaim lost markets, ”said Kishor Shamji, a veteran exporter.
Output did not increase
He said that the high Indian pepper price was due to strong domestic demand but the production did not increase accordingly.
After all, about 90% of India's export pepper is re-exports of imported pepper after the addition of added value such as pepper oil, ground pepper and sterilized pepper. Exporters accounted for 9,795.42 tons of pepper imported through Kochi port and re-exported 5,848.77 tons.
Traders and pepper farmers reported selling prices of more than Rs 21,000 a quintal within a year due to the import of cheap pepper from Vietnam via Sri Lanka in the form of perjury.
Responding to farmers' complaints, Mr. Homey Cherian, Director of the Spice Development Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that ASEAN's pepper production could be transferred to Sri Lanka or other countries of the Association. South Asia Regional Cooperation Association (SAARC) for import tax reduction, but there is no evidence to support this. The Indian government is taking steps to prevent illegal import of pepper, he stressed.
On June 20, 2016, spot prices were at Rs 69,700 a quintal (pint) and Rs 72,700 a quintal (preliminarily processed) one quintal. But currently the price is only at Rs 48,500 / quintal and 50,500 / quintal, respectively. However, the Malabar pepper has no competitors in the global market, according to traders.
* According to a report of Vietnam General Department of Customs, exports in the first half of June 2017 reached 11,395 tons of pepper of all kinds, with a value of US $ 54.77 million, up 36.2% in volume but down 21. , 1% in value over the same period last year. The average export price in the period reached US $ 4,806 / ton, down 8.02% compared to the average export price of May 2017.
* Exchange rate: USD 1 = 64,5363 Rupees
Source English (giacaphe.vn)
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