Vietnamese pepper has been shipped to 97 countries and territories. — Photo baocongthuong

NEW DELHI (Biz Hub) — Vietnamese agricultural officials and businesspeople joined over 250 representatives from leading pepper export countries at the 43rd Annual Session of the International Pepper Community (IPC) in Karnataka, India.

The five-day event, which ended yesterday, was jointly organised by the IPC, India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Indian Spices Board to discuss prospects and headwinds facing world pepper growers and traders.

The participants focused their attention on pepper consumption and stocks, pepper prices and the market situation as well as market stabilisation measures.

Specialised talks were also held on pepper cultivating techniques, processing and preservation technology, and regulations on food hygiene and safety.

On the occasion, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam, who was accompanied by 14 Vietnamese large pepper business representatives, met with officials from the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the ministry's Spices Board.

The two sides shared information on cooperation opportunities and sought ways to boost trade in spices, especially pepper. The Indian side said they are ready to help Viet Nam establish a pepper trading floor.

Vietnamese pepper has been shipped to 97 countries and territories. India, together with the United States, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, are the largest pepper importers of the Southeast Asian country.— VNS