Mangaluru: Import price for pepper peps up hopes

Mangaluru: For hundreds of pepper growers of Karnataka and other pepper growing states, the central government's new step on pepper prices holds out  a lot of hope. 

With the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry approving the proposal to fix Rs 500 per kg as the Minimum Import Price for pepper, pepper price which had seen a steep fall in the last few months, is expected to move upward within two months. 

Karnataka is one of the leading producer of black pepper in the country. Hundreds of farmers grow pepper, especially in the Malnad and coastal belt. Pepper price which had gradually increased over the years had reached about Rs 760 per kg a few months ago. However since the last few months, it has seen a steep fall now touching about Rs 360! 

The Consortium of Pepper Growers Organsiations which was formed last month to protect the interest of pepper growers in the country has expressed happiness over the quick move of the ministry after they submitted their memorandum on November 24.

"We had submitted a memorandum with measures to help pepper growers. Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu had assured us of  necessary steps within 15 days. The Spices Board was asked to provide the Cost of Cultivation and within 13 days of our submitting the memorandum he ensured that the ministry fixed the CIF value of Rs 500 per kg as the Minimum Import Price for pepper. We are really thankful to him for this quick decision to protect the interests of  pepper growers," Consortium convener Konkodi Padmanabha says. 

This is also likely to  increase the price of domestic pepper in about two months.
The price of Indian pepper was affected due to the low quality pepper imported from countries like Vietnam at a lesser price. 

"The CIF value of all (ten) varieties, including crushed pepper has been fixed as Rs 500. This is a very good move as pepper cannot be imported at a lesser price in any form. Even for pepper dust the importer has to pay Rs 500 as Minimum Import Price. As a result the price of imported pepper would be naturally high.

This will control the entry of low quality pepper  into the country at a cheaper rate which  affected the domestic pepper price," he said.