Vietnam fetched 743 million USD from exporting 112,000 tonnes of pepper in the first nine months of 2013, representing year-on-year increases of over 20 percent in volume and 16.5 percent in value.

In September alone, the country shipped around 11,000 tonnes of pepper abroad, earning 72 million USD, said the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA).

The association attributed the increase to the rising demands of foreign importers and the mounting prices of pepper in the global market.

Vietnam has more than 50,000 ha under the spice, mainly in the six provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dac Nong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

It exports pepper to more than 90 countries and territories around the world.-VNA