The Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, has emphasized the need for cooperation among pepper producing countries to manage supply and increase consumption. He explains that this is crucial in order to address the imbalance between supply and demand, which has a direct impact on pepper prices and cultivation. The global consumption of pepper slightly declined last year to 213,000 tonnes compared to 224,000 tonnes in 2021, mainly due to post-pandemic recovery and demand adjustments.
On the other hand, global pepper production decreased from 548,000 tonnes in 2021 to 537,000 tonnes last year. This decline in supply highlights the importance of developing programs to stimulate consumption. Fadillah suggests that these efforts should extend beyond traditional markets and includes cooperative programs between member countries of the International Pepper Community (IPC).
The IPC consists of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam as member countries, with Papua New Guinea and the Philippines as associate members. Fadillah also emphasizes the need for continued cooperation among IPC member countries to ensure the sustainability of the pepper industry. This includes implementing sustainable farming practices that prioritize soil health, water conservation, and biodiversity.
Furthermore, Fadillah highlights the need for a standardized system to identify the geographic origin of pepper. This is vital to prevent counterfeit issues and support bids for higher market prices. The Deputy Prime Minister explains that geographical origin is increasingly becoming a crucial factor in determining pepper quality.
He suggests that special protection should be provided for goods falling within the geographical indication (GI) category, and urges discussions on this topic at the conference. The article concludes with HTML tags indicating empty paragraphs.
