Import volumes expanded by approximately 35% compared to the same period last year.

Vietnam has retained its world-leading position in black pepper production and export for more than two decades. Notably, in 2025, according to the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), export turnover across Vietnam’s pepper and spice industry topped USD 2.12 billion, crossing the USD 2 billion benchmark for the first time and establishing an all-time record. Within this basket, pepper served as the core anchor, delivering USD 1.66 billion and accounting for roughly 78% of total sectoral export value.

Vietnam's pepper exports account for approximately 36% of global supply market share. Vietnamese pepper and spices are currently distributed across more than 125 countries, placing the country third globally in aggregate spice exports.

According to Vietnam Customs data, from the beginning of the year through September 15, Vietnam exported over 202,400 metric tons of pepper, earning USD 1.32 billion, up 15.2% in volume and 10.3% in value year-on-year. The average export price reached USD 6,503 per ton.

Growth momentum centered primarily on major consumer markets. During the first half of September, pepper export volume to China surpassed 2,100 tons, up 34%. Meanwhile, shipments to the Americas surged 44.2%, exceeding 3,100 tons.

The United States alone imported more than 2,900 tons, leaping 62.4% and capturing 26.6% of total export volume during the period. The US also stood as Vietnam’s largest pepper export market through the first eight months of 2026.

Notably, while Vietnam remains the world’s production epicenter for pepper, the country also imports substantial quantities of this spice. Vietnam Customs statistics show that during the first 15 days of September, Vietnam imported 959 tons of pepper, valued at USD 5.3 million.

Cumulatively from January 1 to September 15, imported pepper volumes reached nearly 48,000 tons, climbing roughly 35% compared to the corresponding period last year. Total pepper import turnover across the first nine months is estimated at over USD 275 million. Vietnam's primary import sources are Cambodia and Brazil.

For the current crop cycle, Vietnam’s domestic pepper harvest is estimated to contract by more than 12% year-on-year, yielding only about 170,000 to 180,000 tons. This downturn stems from extreme weather anomalies—prolonged drought early in the year followed by extended heavy rainfall—coupled with acreage reductions as farmers transitioned land to higher-yield commercial crops.

According to VPSA, global pepper supplies remain constrained this year. Carryover inventories into 2026 within Vietnam were also remarkably thin, sitting at around 40,000 tons. This tight baseline has exacerbated physical market deficits.

Beyond Vietnam, harvest yields across Indonesia and India are both projected to decline due to unfavorable weather patterns and aging vine productivity, while incremental output gains in Brazil remain insufficient to offset global deficits.

According to an executive at an agricultural processing and export firm, Vietnamese companies actively import pepper from Brazil for value-added industrial processing, subsequently re-exporting finished goods to major consumer destinations such as the United States, Germany, and the Middle East.

Consequently, importing raw material allows enterprises to stabilize processing throughput, satisfy existing export commitments, and mitigate exclusive reliance on domestic crop yields.

Source: CafeF