India to boost black pepper production

07 October 1998

India to boost black pepper production

INDIA is to increase its production of black peppers by 15% to 75,000 tonnes next year.

India is the worlds largest producer and exporter of black peppers. It produced more than 70,000 tonnes in 1990-91 with production in the intervening years ranging between 50,000 to 65,000 tonnes.

Production will rise next year because of the use of high-yielding and disease-resistant plants. Weather conditions have also been favourable.

The pepper price has doubled to Rs220/kg ($5.2/kg or £3.1/kg) over the past year. The country has nearly 190,000 hectares (469,483 acres) under pepper cultivation. Farmers in the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka are increasingly growing pepper as a filler crop between the coffee and cocoa seasons.

Demand is expected to remain strong despite the increased production. New markets are opening up in Africa and eastern Europe.

• Financial Times 07/10/98 page 40