Vietnamplus

Vietnam exported over 182,000 tonnes of pepper worth 385 million USD as of mid-July, according to the General Department of Customs. ​

The International Pepper Conference 2019 opened in Vung Tau city, the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, on November 12, drawing 400 delegates from Vietnam and 25 other member countries of the International Pepper Community.

Though Vietnam’s revenue from pepper exports experienced drops in most foreign markets, those to Germany soared during the first seven months of 2019, according to the Agro Processing and Market Development Authority.

Experts have said Vietnam's pepper industry had better change its growth model and enhance quality to take advantage of free trade agreements (FTAs).

The Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development is working with localities to examine the development of pepper farming with a view to designing a sustainable growth orientation for the sector between now and 2030.

Vice Chairman of the Binh Phuoc province People’s Committee Huynh Anh Minh had a working session with representatives from Nedspice Vietnam, a spice processing firm of the Netherlands, on enhancing cooperation in trade promotion and the sustainable production of the locality’s pepper products.

Working groups under the PPP format for agriculture products should build an effective cooperation mechanism in order to develop the market.

Vietnam’s output and export of pepper increased sharply last year, but their prices and thus turnover from exports fell, according to the industry association.

Vietnam’s pepper farmers are on pins and needles as pepper prices continue to decline. The industry is in crisis due to unsustainable development, lack of strict control over production.

Central Highlands provinces should continue to effectively carry out the Party and Government’s resolutions and directions on socio-economic development, said Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General To Lam, who doubles as Head of the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands.

Authorities of the central province of Quang Tri met with representatives of US organisation Roots of Peace, pledging optimal conditions for it to help develop local agriculture, especially pepper production, according to Tai nguyen & Moi truong (Natural Resources & Environment) newspaper.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong had talks with Malaysia’s Minister of Plantation, Industries and Commodities Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong in Hanoi on October 4 on how to tap the bilateral cooperation potential in promoting farm produce.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh has suggested key pepper growing provinces such as Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai have more policies to encourage and create favourable conditions for businesses to invest in large-scale pepper production with high quality and efficiency.

Indonesia’s pepper exports in the January-August period rose 16.57 percent year on year to 24,460 tonnes, according to the country’s Agriculture Ministry.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) will soon issue Production Unit Codes (PUCs) to areas that qualify to produce peppers for export, said Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh on June 8.

Measures to develop the pepper sector sustainably were discussed at a forum jointly held by the National Agricultural Extension Centre (NAEC) and DARD of Dak Nong on June 7. ​

Links between enterprises and coffee and pepper farmers need to be enhanced to improve the economic value and competitiveness of the two products.

With its knowledge and experience in agriculture, the Netherlands is eager to join hands with Vietnam to improve the quality and efficiency of its agriculture, a business forum on Agriculture-Innovation in Vietnam heard in HCM City on March 20.

Vietnamese pepper will face stricter scrutiny this year on excessive use of agricultural pesticides, especially in the EU and US markets, experts say.

The island district of Phu Quoc in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang has actively promoted pepper-based ecotourism, with the aim of diversifying its tourism and promoting its pepper product.