Vietnam’s pepper has been exported to 120 countries and territories. In 2024, this item brought in over 1.32 billion USD, a record high to date.
According to the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), in 2024, the area of pepper cultivation was 111,313 hectares, a decrease of 3.2% compared to 2023, with a production volume of 170,000 tons, a decrease of 10.5%. In spite of this decrease, Vietnam still leads the world in the production of the black gold. The center of pepper in Vietnam is Dak Nong province with nearly 34,000 hectares, followed by Dak Lak with over 28,000 hectares, and third place is Gia Lai with 18,000 hectares.
Regarding the export situation, according to the VPA, black pepper exports in January reached nearly 13,000 tons with a value of over 87.5 million USD, a decrease of 25.8% in volume but an increase of 25.3% in value compared to January 2024. The average export price was 6,756 USD/ton, an increase of 68.9% in price.
In terms of the market, the US was the largest importer of Vietnamese pepper, with 2,829 tons, equivalent to nearly 22 million USD. This was a significant decrease of 41.4% in volume but an increase of 8.5% in value compared to the same period in 2024. The average price was 2,829 USD/ton, a strong increase of 85.3% compared to the same period.
Vietnam is leading the world in pepper cultivation and export.
Pepper exports to the German market ranked second in terms of turnover, with 1,326 tons, equivalent to 9.37 million USD, an increase of 37% in volume and 110.9% in value compared to January 2024. The average export price was 7,065 USD/ton, a significant increase of 54%.
The Indian market ranked third with 976 tons, equivalent to 6.99 million USD, priced at 7,158 USD/ton. Compared to January 2024, the volume decreased by 29.5%, but the value increased by 25%, and the price increased by 77.3%.
By the end of 2024, there was a shortage of 64,000 tons of pepper in the world. According to the Vietnam Commodity Exchange, the domestic price of pepper has nearly doubled compared to the beginning of 2024. Even at its peak, the price of pepper reached 158,000 VND/kg. The reason was the shortage of pepper supply this year.
According to statistics from the VPA, Vietnam currently has about 200 enterprises processing and trading pepper, of which 15 leading enterprises account 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.
The association said that the current inventory of pepper is low, while the demand from major markets such as the US, Europe, and China is increasing significantly. The pepper price will certainly continue to rise in the near future. In 2025, the price could reach over 240,000 – 250,000 VND/kg.
Vietnam’s pepper processing technology is not inferior to any competitor in the world. Vietnamese pepper products have met market standards, including strict and specialized markets such as the EU and UAE. The increase in consumption, especially in large markets like the US and Europe this year, will create favorable conditions for Vietnamese pepper exports.