World Pepper Crop Declines

NEW DELHI - Sep 20/06 - SNS -- World pepper production is expected to decline for the second year in a row in the face of quickly falling black pepper output, according to reports given at the recent 37th Pepper Exporters Meeting in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Total pepper production is expected to come in at 266,000 metric tons (MT) in 2007, down from 269,900 MT this year and 314,270 in 2005.

Black pepper production dropped from 263,270 MT in 2005 to 219,900 MT this year on account of smaller crops in India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia. White pepper production slipped from 51,000 MT in 2005 to 50,0000 MT this year even though Indonesia's harvest sank from 13,000 to 5,000 MT.

The decline in production should result in a reduction in world trading volumes for pepper. Trade is forecast at 181,000 MT in 2007, compared to an estimated 197,600 MT this year and 212,500 MT in 2005. Black pepper exports are estimated at 166,800 MT this year and white pepper 30,800, down from 33,150 MT last year.