Vietnam Ranks as the Second Largest Pepper Supplier to Taiwan in 2024

According to data from Taiwan’s Trade and Investment Administration (TITA), Vietnam emerged as the second-largest supplier of pepper to Taiwan in 2024. During the year, Vietnam exported 985.71 tons of pepper to Taiwan, generating USD 6.09 million in export revenue. This figure represents 33.12% of Taiwan’s total import value for pepper.

Overall Pepper Exports from Vietnam in 2024

Throughout 2024, Vietnam exported a total of 250,600 tons of pepper across all varieties. Breaking down the numbers:

• Black Pepper: 220,269 tons with a total export value of USD 1,117.7 million.
• White Pepper: 30,331 tons, reaching USD 200.6 million. The combined export value for all pepper reached approximately USD 1,318.3 million.

Market Competition in Taiwan

In the competitive landscape of pepper imports into Taiwan:

• Indonesia is the leading supplier, delivering 1,467.94 tons with an export value of USD 9.73 million in 2024. This marked an increase of 27.73% in quantity and 56.3% in value compared to 2023. Indonesia accounted for 51.28% of Taiwan’s pepper import volume and 52.93% of its import value.
• Vietnam, as the second-largest supplier, contributed 985.71 tons and USD 6.09 million, capturing 34.43% of the total market share by quantity and 33.12% by value.
• Following Vietnam in the top five are suppliers from Malaysia (9.38% by quantity), China (3.6% by quantity), and Cambodia (1.06% by quantity).

Recent Quality Inspections and Regulatory Actions

The Economic and Cultural Office of Vietnam in Taipei has noted that Taiwan recently implemented 100% sample testing for imported pepper after detecting certain batches with Sudan dye residues exceeding the maximum residue limit (MRL). In addition, Taiwanese authorities temporarily suspended import inspection applications for a Vietnamese company exporting 35 product groups under the “spices” and “sauce” categories after Sudan dye was found in some products.

To enhance upstream management of exported food products, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) is currently in discussions with Vietnamese officials about dispatching an inspection delegation to Vietnam later this year. The goal is to conduct on-site checks at Vietnamese black pepper exporters to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Additional Context on Global Pepper Trade

While Taiwan remains a key import market for Vietnamese pepper, other major export destinations for Vietnam in 2024 include:

• The United States, which has become Vietnam’s largest pepper export market with record exports of 72,311 tons—a 33.2% increase compared to 2023 and 21.0% higher than the previous record set in 2021.
• Other significant markets include the United Arab Emirates (16,391 tons, up 35.1%), Germany (14,580 tons, up 58.2%), and the Netherlands (10,745 tons, up 35.2%). Meanwhile, exports to India decreased by 17.1% (10,617 tons) and imports from China ranked sixth with 10,549 tons (a decrease of 82.4%).

For white pepper specifically, the top importing markets were the United States (4,121 tons), Germany (4,013 tons), the Netherlands (3,462 tons), Thailand (2,827 tons), and China (1,982 tons).

Reference source: The Internet