According to statistics from the Customs Department, Vietnam’s pepper exports in July reached nearly 22,000 tons, with a value of over 142 million USD. This result is down 8% in volume and 10% compared to June. In the first 7 months of the year, this item has brought in over 989 million USD with over 144,000 tons, a 12% decrease in volume but a significant 29.7% increase in value compared to the same period in 2024.
The United States is currently the largest importer of Vietnamese pepper, with over 32,000 tons, valued at over 248 million USD. These figures represent a 24% decrease in volume and a 21% decrease in value compared to the same period last year. Notably, prices have increased sharply by 60% compared to the first seven months of 2024, reaching an average of 7,575 USD/ton.
Vietnam’s pepper exports in July reached nearly 22,000 tons.
Germany is in second place with over 10,700 tons, worth over 82 million USD. This is a 3% decrease in volume but a significant 43% increase in value. The average price is 7,655 USD/ton, an increase of 48%.
India is the third largest importer of Vietnamese pepper, with over 9,200 tons valued at over 65 million USD. This is a 7% increase in volume and a significant 70% increase in value. The average export price also saw a significant upward trend, reaching 7,060 USD/ton, which is an increase of 59%.
Pepper is classified under code 0904, which is an export item with no export tax (0%) and no VAT (0%).
Vietnam has been the world leader in pepper production and export for over 20 years, accounting for about 40% of total production and nearly 55% of global pepper export value. Vietnam’s pepper export value in 2024 was 1.32 billion USD. However, the pepper cultivation area is showing signs of decline year after year.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the total area of pepper in the country in 2024 is about 113,000 hectares, with an estimated production of 190,000 tons. While the national pepper area in 2023 reached 115,000 hectares, the year with the highest area was 2017, with about 151,900 hectares. It is expected that the pepper area could decrease to around 110,000 hectares in the near future. The main reasons for the decrease are the impact of weather, pests, and diseases and the sharp increase in prices of other agricultural products such as durian and coffee in recent times.
Vietnam currently has about 200 enterprises processing and trading pepper, including 15 leading companies that account for 70% of the country’s total exports. The entire industry has 14 deep processing plants. Specifically, there are 5 foreign-invested enterprises, accounting for nearly 30% of the export market share.
On the world market, 2025 marks the fourth consecutive year of declining global pepper production. It is predicted that in the following years, global pepper production will still be insufficient to meet consumer demand. This will cause the price of “black gold” to continue to rise. Vietnamese pepper is forecast to face competitive pressure from other pepper-producing competitors.
Therefore, businesses need to closely monitor market developments and purchasing activities from partners to have appropriate procurement, inventory, and cash flow preparation plans, thereby increasing production and export turnover while ensuring business efficiency.