Vietnam sees surges in pepper exports to France in 7 months

Vietnam exported to France 2,860 tonnes of pepper for EUR8.18 million (US$9.6 million) in the first 7 months of this year, up 28.6% and 44.3% in volume and value, respectively, against a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Agency of Foreign Trade.

Vietnam exported to France 2,860 tonnes of pepper in the first seven months of this year. (Illustrative image/Source: VNA)
Vietnam exported to France 2,860 tonnes of pepper in the first seven months of this year. (Illustrative image/Source: VNA)

France has remained one of the largest pepper buyers in the EU that does not only import pepper for domestic consumption but also for re-export to other European countries.

From January to July, Vietnam’s pepper accounted for 37.2% of France’s total imports, an increase from 30.72% over the same period last year, and the Vietnamese product fetched higher prices in the European country, the agency quoted data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, as saying.

In Vietnam, black pepper was sold at VND76,000 – 80,000 (US$3.34-3.51) per kg in mid-September, up 2 – 2.7% from the end of August. White pepper fetched VND119,000 in the middle of this month, up 1.7% from the end of August and 77.6% year-on-year.

Pepper prices are likely to rise further in the coming time as Vietnam is gradually relaxing social distancing measures, prompting traders to increase buying to meeting demand for exports.