India is the largest market for Vietnam’s pepper in South Asia, accounting for about 59 percent of the total value of Vietnam’s pepper exports to the region, according to the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA).

Other major customers in South Asia are Pakistan and Bangladesh which together with India generate 97.4 percent of Vietnam’s earnings from pepper export to the region.

Currently, Vietnam’s pepper has been sold to most of South Asian countries except for Afghanistan, Bhutan and the Maldives. In the first seven months of this year, pepper exports to the region increased sharply in terms of value compared to the same period last year, with a 109 percent rise posted in India, 211 percent in Pakistan, 410 percent in Bangladesh and 748 percent in Nepal.

In 2014, Vietnam expects to earn more than 160 million USD from pepper export to the South Asian markets.

As the world’s largest pepper producer, Vietnam ships the spice to more than 90 countries and territories.-VNA