Fadillah calls for a collaboration of pepper producing countries to manage supply

KUCHING: Pepper producing countries need to work together to manage supply and increase consumption, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

The Deputy Prime Minister said this is important to address the imbalance between supply and demand, which in turn affected pepper prices and the cultivation of pepper.

He said global pepper consumption declined slightly last year to 213,000 tonnes from 224,000 tonnes in 2021, largely attributed to the post-pandemic recovery and necessary demand adjustments.

Conversely, global pepper production reached 537,000 tonnes last year, a decrease from 548,000 tonnes in 2021.

“The decline in supply highlights the importance for us, together with every member of the International Pepper Community (IPC) countries, to develop programmes aimed at stimulating consumption.

“This initiative should extend beyond traditional markets to encompass new ones, which could include cooperative programmes between member countries,” Fadillah said when opening IPC’s 51st annual session and meetings here on Tuesday (Nov 7).

The IPC member countries are India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, while Papua New Guinea and the Philippines are associate members.

Fadillah also said IPC member countries should continue cooperating on collective approaches towards a sustainable pepper industry.

He said this included sustainable farming practices which prioritise soil health, water conservation and biodiversity.

“These practices can lead to higher yields and improved quality while mitigating the environmental impact of cultivation,” he said.

In addition, Fadillah said a standardised system was needed to identify the geographic origin of pepper to prevent counterfeit issues and to support bids for higher market prices.

“Geographical origin is rapidly becoming a crucial factor in determining the quality of pepper.

“It is of great importance to provide special protection for goods or products falling within the geographical indication (GI) category, a topic that should be deliberated at this conference,” he said.