According to the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), Vietnamese pepper accounts for 40% of global production and 60% of global exports.
THE PRICE OF “BLACK GOLD” IS INCREASING
Vietnam’s pepper exports in 2024 reached nearly 250,000 tons, worth 1.31 billion US. This was an increase of 44.4% in value compared to 2023 and also the highest in the past eight years.
In 2024, enterprises in the pepper industry achieved strong growth rates ranging from 32 to 68%. Some experienced an unexpected 150% increase in export revenue compared to 2023.
Vietnam exported 7,313 tons of pepper with a total value of 48.3 million USD in the first half of January 2025. It was a decrease of 03% in volume but an increase of 61.86% in value compared to the same period in 2024.
At the moment, the domestic pepper price is increasing slightly day by day. On February 5th, the price of pepper was stable in key provinces between 149,000 and 150,200 VND/kg. While on the same day last year (February 05, 2024), the price was only 80,500 – 83,500 VND/kg.
The pepper prices are expected to remain high.
The domestic pepper prices have continuously increased right after Tet, making farmers excited to enter the new harvest.
On the global market, the export price of Vietnamese black pepper type 500 g/l is 6,350 USD/ton, and type 550 g/l is 6,650 USD/ton. The export price of white pepper is 9,550 USD/ton.
In the fifth week of 2025, the price of black pepper in Vietnam recorded a stable growth of about 1.32%.
Experts said that the price of Vietnamese pepper will remain high and may increase slightly due to a decrease in supply, while demand in major markets such as the US and Europe is stable. China may increase imports from March to April as stocks are gradually decreasing.
HOW TO IMPROVE QUALITY?
Vietnam has been the world’s leading producer and exporter of pepper for over 20 years. However, the area of pepper has been showing signs of decline year by year.
Ms. Hoang Thi Lien, Chairwoman of the VPSA, predicts that global pepper production in 2025 will continue to decline compared to 2024, as pepper is no longer a key crop. This is especially true in the context of increasing competition from other crops, along with the rising costs of maintaining pepper production.
Furthermore, climate change is becoming severe, affecting pepper-growing regions in many countries such as Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Brazil, leading to a significant decrease in production.
The year 2025 marks the fourth consecutive year of declining global pepper production. In the next few years, global pepper production may not be enough to meet consumer demand. This will cause the price of “black gold” to continue to rise.
In that context, the Vietnamese pepper industry is changing from expanding area to enhancing quality, promoting deep processing, and diversifying products and markets to access deeply the global pepper supply chain.
Besides, Vietnam currently has about 200 enterprises processing and trading pepper, with 15 leading enterprises accounting for 70% of the national export volume. The entire industry has 14 deep processing factories. Especially, there are five foreign-invested enterprises, accounting for nearly 30% of the export market share.
Vietnamese pepper products have met market standards, including strict markets such as the EU or the UAE.