Pepper being harvested in the central province of Quang Tri. — VNA/VNS Photo Ho Cau

Nepal customs authorities have issued a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) allowing Vietnamese exporters' peppercorn containers that have been stuck in the country for several months to be shipped back home, according to the Asia-Africa Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

The issuance of the NOC was the result of joint efforts of the MoIT, the Vietnamese Embassy in India, and the Vietnamese Trade Office in India and Nepal in working with local authorities to deal with the case.

The 58 containers exported by 13 Vietnamese businesses are worth some US$3 million and have been stuck in Nepal for about two months.

Peppercorn is one of five items the Nepalese government recently imposed an import ban on. Though these batches were shipped to Nepal prior to the ban taking effect, they have been stuck at the port.

Shortly after receiving a notification from the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh sent two letters to the Nepalese Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to request support for the Vietnamese businesses and ask for the speeding up of clearance procedures, avoiding an increase in costs for exporters.

So far, the majority of the containers have received NOCs.

Vietnamese exporters are working with logistics companies to bring back the containers and export them elsewhere. — VNS