Specifically, Gia Lai experienced a price decrease of VND5,000 per kg compared to the previous day, settling at VND148,000 per kg. In contrast, a kilogram of pepper was priced at VND149,000 in Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. The ongoing peak harvest season in the Central Highlands and Southeast regions from January to May annually, characterized by abundant supply, is exerting downward pressure on prices.
The global pepper market is currently grappling with multiple challenges, according to industry experts. Last week, domestic pepper prices came under pressure due to the arrival of new harvest supplies and growing concerns over potential reciprocal tax measures from the United States. The Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA) reported that Vietnam remains the largest supplier of pepper to the U.S., accounting for 77 percent of its total imports.
However, several U.S. importers have requested Vietnamese exporters to postpone deliveries and refrain from entering into new contracts. This development has directly impacted domestic operations, potentially straining the short-term liquidity of Vietnamese exporters, inflating inventory levels, and stalling raw material procurement—factors that have contributed to the recent price declines.
The association recommends that enterprises take a more proactive approach. This includes focusing on increasing deep processing, gradually shifting away from raw exports, diversifying markets, reducing dependence on a single large market, and avoiding price pressure during peak times.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, by the end of the first quarter of 2025, Vietnam had exported 47,660 tons of pepper of all kinds, of which black pepper reached 39,853 tons and white pepper reached 7,807 tons. Total export turnover reached US$326.6 million. Compared to the same period last year, the export volume decreased by 16.1 percent, but the export turnover increased by 38.6 percent. The average export price of black pepper in the first quarter reached US$6,711 a ton, up 94.9 percent and white pepper reached US$8,617 a ton, up 73.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
In 2025's first quarter, the US remained the largest export market for Vietnamese pepper, despite a 32.6 percent decline in import volume to 10,278 tons compared to the same period.
