Global pepper production for 2001 has been estimated at an approximate 2.63 lakh tonnes as against 2.37 lakh tonnes this year, an increase of 11 per cent over last year. But this might not have any sharp impact on the international market, marketmen feel.
Even though the production is set to rise, there is no reason for panic as it is likely that the supply and demand will be balanced.
Demand for all pepper products like pepper oil, oleoresin and white pepper has been on the rise in United States, Japan and west European countries and the increase in supply will be balanced by the demand, marketmen said.
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According to estimates compiled by the International Pepper Community, given the current weather conditions in India, the pepper crop would be earlier by a month in the market.
The crop would arrive in the market in mid-December instead of January, but a clear picture on the crop would emerge only after October since heavy rainfall might change the total crop scenario.
Even in the global scenario, Vietnam is predicted to have a early crop. Pepper is likely to arrive early by mid or late January in the country followed by the Malaysian and Indonesian, and Brazilian crop.
Given the higher production, exports too are forecasted to increase by 8 per cent in 2001 from the current year.Exports of the commodity during the first seven months of 2000, from six major producing countries including Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, stood at 93,000 tonnes and is likely to be 1.83 lakh tonnes from the projected figure of 1.69 lakh tonnes during 2001, IPC said.
According to the organisation, the projected exports for black pepper stand at around 1.29 lakh tonnes and 40,300 tonnes for white pepper. Though any steep fall in the commodity