Participants from Viet Nam and 25 other member countries of the International Pepper Community at the International Pepper Conference 2019 in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Nhi

About 400 delegates from Viet Nam and 25 other member countries of the International Pepper Community are attending the International Pepper Conference 2019 in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

At the three-day event, opened on Tuesday, participants discussed issues relevant to pepper production, processing and trading to better meet the global market’s demand.

The event features meetings of exporters and importers, meetings on cultivation techniques, exhibitions of exporting and importing companies, and field trips to pepper farms in the province.

During the event, the International Pepper Community will award five farmers who are recognised as outstanding pepper growers of 2018 by the International Pepper Community. Meanwhile, five companies will also be honoured for their innovation in pepper production and processing.

The conference takes place amid unfavourable factors facing the world’s pepper sector, including continually declining prices, global financial crisis, abnormal weather conditions, uncontrolled diseases on plants, consumers’ growing requirements, rising production costs and unpredictable price developments.

Viet Nam's Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said the country is currently the world’s biggest peppercorn producer and exporter with export volume reaching 250,000 tonnes, equivalent to 40 percent of the global figure.

In Viet Nam, pepper is mainly cultivated in the provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Quang Tri and Kien Giang. It is a source of livelihood for more than 200,000 households. — VNS