Pepper. Brazil beats India
The name pepper comes from Sanskrit pippali, meaning berry. Vasco de Gama discovered sea-spice route to India in 1498 mainly to procure pepper.
Vietnam began cultivation of pepper only in 1990s , but in 2003 overtook India as the world’s largest producer.
Now (2019), Brazil is set to breeze past India, pushing us to the third position.
According to latest pepper production estimates, Vietnam leads with 273,000 tons, Brazil 91,000 tons India is a poor third with 60,000 tons.
Indonesia will soon surpass India..!
India, once a global leader, now accounts for a mere 10% of global production.
There is a seismic change within India too.
Which state in India produces more pepper?
Many will think it to be Kerala. Wrong..!
Karnataka accounts for 50% of India’s pepper production now.
You may wonder what is the Spices Board , headquartered in Kochi, Kerala doing?
Pssss…. perhaps busy overseeing pepper imports!
A third of India’s pepper demand is met by imports.