BLACK PEPPER IN VIETNAM
DuIn Dak Nong (Vietnam), the pepper season 2022 has begun over the previous 2-3 weeks, when some farmers began harvesting, however the quantity right now according to sources is still small. Corresponding to a recent crop survey report, the output of the pepper crop in key areas would decline in 2022 due to unfavourable weather. Dak Nong, which is currently considered the capital of Vietnam’s pepper business, produces around 40% of the country’s pepper.
Pepper prices have risen by 52% since the beginning of the year, but pepper producers are still experiencing many challenges, as fertiliser and labour costs rise because of inflation and the pandemic’s impact. Simultaneously, land fever (the increased propensity to sell land rather than using it for production) has affected the mindset of pepper farmers in various provinces of the Central Highlands and Southeast region in recent years, causing them to lose interest in growing black pepper and instead be inclined to sell their land at a higher price.. Many pepper farms have been sold recently since within the last year, the price of land has increased three to four times.
Last week’s price hikes for peppers were impressive, with a 2.5 percent increase. The fundamental reason is that demand had returned after the US/EU and ASIA/AFRICAN countries’ long vacations over Christmas. Furthermore, with only two weeks until the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, manufacturers and exporters have increased their raw material procurement in preparation for orders to be delivered in January and the first half of February. Meanwhile, the sluggish harvest resulted in a local lack of commodities, causing prices to skyrocket last week.
Furthermore, because the coffee crop is nearing the end of the season, many agencies have shifted their focus to the pepper industry. This has resulted in increased capital and liquidity. The fast rising demand for stockpiling from domestic agents has resulted in a scarcity of raw materials on the market.
We foresee another increase in price in the short term for Black Pepper for Vietnam, however we believe that these prices will stabilise around March and then decline as crops are harvested and supply increases.
ONION IN UZBEKISTAN, ITALY, AND BANGLADESH
2022 for the onion sector in Uzbekistan began with rising prices over the past two weeks. The average wholesale prices for this product have increased by 25%, According to price monitoring, from December 31, 2021, to January 14, 2022, the average wholesale prices for onions increased from 1,600 to 2,000 sum/kg (from $0.15 to 0.18).
Demand for onions in Italy is very high. The demand for white rounded onions of small calibres, size 30, is high but is not available in Italy and in general in the Northern hemisphere. Such small onions in Italy are called Maggiolino. Maggiolino onions are harvested during the summer months and need dedicated cultivation, so the production volume and availability are relatively low.
Farmers in Bangladesh are expecting record breaking production of onion this season. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) authorities in Bangladesh, 6.35 lakh MT of onion was cultivated on 44,030 hectares of land last year. The same quantity has been set as this year’s objective. DAE plans to grow onions on 44,030 hectares of land in Pabna using native seeds, with a total yield of 6.35 lakh MT. Considering the cross-cultivation goal, onion cultivation has achieved tremendous development. As of 31 December 2021, onions had already been planted on around 31,250 hectares of land, and sowing will continue into January 2022.
TOMATO RESEARCH & SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
Isparta University of Applied Sciences has started a study for a biological control method against diseases and pests that damage tomatoes. The project, which was developed for the organic production of tomatoes without using chemicals, was accepted within the scope of the European Union’s PRIMA program.
The project aims to obtain healthy products with biological control against tomato pests without using chemicals. The aim is to produce healthy tomatoes with minimal external input.
Projects like these could revolutionise the production of tomatoes worldwide, if research is successful and breakthrough methods of preventing pests can be achieved. We are following this research closely in order to best inform our suppliers and continue to provide high quality products for our buyers.
While many farmers generally welcome rain, it has cost South Africa’s tomato industry at close to R100-million during December alone. This summer, South Africa has been experiencing heavy rainfall, wreaking havoc on harvests of essential staple fruit and vegetables.
TURMERIC POWDER IN INDIA
India, the biggest turmeric exporter, saw another successful export sales year. In the first ten months of 2021, total shipments of the yellow spice (fingers and powder) from the country exceeded 127,000 tonnes.
Although it is 16% less than in the same period of 2020, this figure is the second-best performance result of the turmeric export sector. The shipments of the condiment have been adversely affected by pandemic lockdowns, which limited consumption of spices by the hospitality sector in Bangladesh, the leading importer of turmeric.
On the other hand, the virus has spiked the rise in exports to the EU and some West Asian countries, as local consumers started appealing more to the health benefits of the spice.
PLANT BASED PROTEIN TRENDS
The global plant-based meat protein market has been developing rapidly in the past five years. The next decade is also promising a lot of opportunities for growth. According to Bloomberg estimates, the value of the global plant-based meat market could hit $74 billion in 2030, 15 times more than the 2021 figure. The rapid growth of the segment all over the world is related to increasing health consciousness as well as the awareness of the environmental impact of meat consumption, and growing meat prices. The first reason has been driving up the
consumption of textured vegetable protein (TVP) consumption in China, the biggest growing market for plant-based meat.
The Chinese plant-based meat market has been growing constantly in the five years driven by both healthcare and environmental reasons. The robust growth of the segment is supported by numerous factors, including the government initiative to cut meat consumption by 50% in the next decade to tackle environmental issues and to prevent obesity in the population. Increasing awareness of the negative impact of excessive meat consumption is also pushing plant-based meat consumption to grow. In 2019, the age group from 18 to 35 years old accounted for 47% of all vegetable-based meat consumption. Given the fact that this group represents 400 million people, the potential for further growth is huge.
BELL PEPPER IN INDONESIA
Indonesian ministry of Agriculture estimated that Indonesia will produce 86,142 MT of Pepper in 2022.This estimation is lower than that 2021 production of 89,153 MT.
The lower estimation is due to longer Rain Season predicted in 2022 which hampers the production process of pepper in Indonesia. The ministry also estimated that 49,940 MT will be exported to the global market. Major markets for Indonesian pepper is Vietnam (28%), China (18.5%), USA (11.7%) and India (9.4%). The Indonesian pepper market is still fragmented, so there is opportunity for new players to market.
GINGER CULTIVATION IN PAKISTAN
Chinese help get ginger cultivation in Pakistan off the ground. Collaboration with Chinese scientists through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) program can contribute to the successful cultivation of ginger in Pakistan. A Pakistani cultivation team would need to work with Chinese scientists through the CPEC program to
introduce ginger sprouts and develop appropriate cultivation practices to achieve a target yield at least equal to or higher than the global average within the set time frame.
SESAME SEED HARVEST IN URUGUAY
The first harvests of the sesame, known as K2, are being harvested in Uruguay. The final results at the country level are yet to be seen, and each region may present a different result. In the case of the producers in the San Pedro and Concepción area, the results are promising in quality and quantity.
We have just launched our new Instagram page! This page is dedicated to bringing you the latest information on what is happening in the global spice trade, as well as providing
special offers from the company.
Follow us for regular updates!
