Black Pepper

The most widely traded spice, with Vietnam the dominant grower.

Overview

Black pepper is the dried unripe fruit of a tropical vine, and white pepper is the same fruit with its outer skin removed. Vietnam is by far the largest producer and exporter, followed by Brazil, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka, while the United States and Europe are the main importers. Heavy planting in Vietnam in the 2010s led to oversupply and a long price slump later in the decade. Prices are set in physical trade, quoted by origin and grade, with bulk density in grams per liter a key quality measure, and India has listed pepper futures on its commodity exchanges. The International Pepper Community, an intergovernmental body, tracks production and promotes the trade.