Black pepper price up on shortage supply, declining output

The price of black pepper has shot up due to shortage of supply and decline in production of the commodity in the country.  

The price, which was Rs 229 per kilo in the last week of March 2011, rose to Rs 253 on April 16 and touched Rs 256 a kilo yesterday. "If this is the trend, the price will touch Rs 300 per kilo mark shortly", traders said.

Earlier in October 1999, the price reached a new high of Rs 263 per kg, which was the highest price. 

In Kerala, pepper was mainly cultivated in Idukki and Wayanad. The farmers diverted their cultivation from pepper to other cash crops including rubber, cloves and cardamom as pepper price was on a declining trend for past several years.  

The cultivation area also decreased in Kerala. From year 2004-05, it has dwindled from 2,37,998 hectare to 1,72,764 hectare, sources said.

In Idukki, the area of pepper cultivation declined from 84,219 hectares to 81,361 hectares while in Wayanad from 41,464 hectares to 19267 hectare. "But now farmers are gradually showing interest in pepper cultivation", traders said. 

Except for Vietnam, pepper output was less in Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. In the country, production was slightly higher in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka compared with Kerala, said sources.

Pepper is mainly used for preparation of medicines and for food.