HANOI, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's pepper export volumes surged 16.6 percent to 267,000 tons in 2023, while value dropped 6 percent to 912 million U.S. dollars, VnExpress reported Tuesday, citing the Vietnam Customs.
The decline in value was attributed to a reduction in the average price of exported pepper, which reached 3,420 dollars per ton in 2023, decreasing 19.4 percent from 2022.
Black pepper made up the majority of Vietnam's pepper exports (71.2 percent) while white pepper comprised the remainder.
The United States, China, India and Germany remained Vietnam's biggest pepper importers last year.
According to the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association, pepper exports in 2024 are forecast to remain at a low level due to scarce domestic supply. The inventory from 2023 carried over to this year has reached its lowest level in many years, which will push pepper prices up. ■
