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Top Black Pepper Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

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Pepper mill
Pepper mill
In 2020, exports of black pepper were worth a total US$1.56 billion.

Exports of black pepper dropped in value by an overall average -41.7% since 2016 when export sales for black pepper were $3.3 billion.

From 2019 to 2020, overall export revenues for the spice flatlined via a -1.9% reduction.

Black pepper is the world’s most traded spice in terms of quantity. The spice is typically added as a food seasoning paired with salt on dining tables either in shakers or mill containers.

By value, the 5 biggest exporters of black pepper (Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India) sold over two-thirds (69.8%) of all black pepper exported during 2020.

Applying a continental perspective, countries in Asia supplied the highest dollar worth of exported black pepper during 2020 with shipments valued at $1.03 billion or 66% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Europe (14.8%) trailed by those in Latin America (12.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean. Smaller percentages came from North America (3.9%), Africa (2.6%), and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia.

Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of black pepper in 2020 are the United States of America, Germany, India, Vietnam and mainland China. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought well over third (39%) of globally imported black pepper as measured by dollar value.

The above percentages suggest the total 126 exporters of black pepper (69.8% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 198 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers accounted for a smaller portion of its world total at 39%.

As for global imports of black pepper by continent, 38.2% of black pepper purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Asia ahead of importers in Europe (30.7%). Lesser percentages went to buyers in North America (20.7%), Africa (6.9%), Latin America (2.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (1.4%) led by Australia.

We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of non-crushed and unground black pepper to be $2,956 per ton in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a -4.1% fall from the average tonnage rate of $3,083 during 2019.

Unsurprisingly, processed black pepper exports required a higher unit price. For crushed or ground black pepper, the average unit price paid by importers was $3,962 per ton in 2020 down -6.7% from the average tonnage rate of $4,248 for 2019. The higher average price is driven partly by labor and other processing expenses to make crushed or ground pepper.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 090411 for black pepper that is neither crushed nor ground, and 090412 for crushed or ground black pepper.

Drilling down on those categories, 75.1% of world black pepper exports by value were for raw black pepper. The remaining 24.9% was collected for shipments of crushed or ground black pepper.

Top Black Pepper Exports by Country

Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of black pepper during 2020, regardless of whether the shipped black pepper was crushed, ground or neither.

  1. Vietnam: US$626.1 million (40.1% of total black pepper exports)
  2. Brazil: $185.3 million (11.9%)
  3. Indonesia: $160.4 million (10.3%)
  4. Germany: $66.8 million (4.3%)
  5. India: $66.7 million (4.3%)
  6. Sri Lanka: $52.9 million (3.4%)
  7. United States: $37.5 million (2.4%)
  8. United Arab Emirates: $35 million (2.2%)
  9. France: $32 million (2%)
  10. Malaysia: $29 million (1.9%)
  11. Netherlands: $27.8 million (1.8%)
  12. Mexico: $19.4 million (1.2%)
  13. South Africa: $18.9 million (1.2%)
  14. Austria: $18.8 million (1.2%)
  15. China: $16.6 million (1.1%)
  16. Spain: $13.3 million (0.9%)
  17. Poland: $10.7 million (0.7%)
  18. Italy: $10.4 million (0.7%)
  19. Cambodia: $9.9 million (0.6%)
  20. Madagascar: $9.1 million (0.6%)

By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 92.6% of globally exported black pepper in 2020.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing black pepper exporters since 2019 were: Mexico (up 107.1%), Madagascar (up 27.8%), Italy (up 20.5%) and Spain (up 19.5%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported black pepper sales were led by: Malaysia (down -17.9%), India (down -16.6%), Poland (down -9%), Netherlands (down -6.7%) and Vietnam (down -6.1%).

Top Black Pepper Imports by Country

The overall cost for imported black pepper shrank by -37.3% over the 5-year period starting in 2016 and declined by -2.7% year over year since 2019.

Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of black pepper imported during 2020, for any black pepper regardless of whether crushed, ground or unprocessed.

  1. United States: US$258.3 million (17.2% of total black pepper imports)
  2. Germany: $99.9 million (6.7%)
  3. India: $85.9 million (5.7%)
  4. Vietnam: $76.2 million (5.1%)
  5. China: $65.3 million (4.4%)
  6. United Kingdom: $58.2 million (3.9%)
  7. France: $47.3 million (3.2%)
  8. Egypt: $43.9 million (2.9%)
  9. Japan: $41.6 million (2.8%)
  10. United Arab Emirates: $40.8 million (2.7%)
  11. Canada: $38.5 million (2.6%)
  12. Netherlands: $35.9 million (2.4%)
  13. Pakistan: $28 million (1.9%)
  14. Russia: $23.9 million (1.6%)
  15. South Korea: $22.8 million (1.5%)
  16. Nepal: $22.45 million (1.5%)
  17. Thailand: $22.42 million (1.5%)
  18. Philippines: $19.9 million (1.3%)
  19. Iran: $18.8 million (1.3%)
  20. Morocco: $18.6 million (1.2%)

By value, the listed 20 countries bought 71.2% of globally imported black pepper in 2020.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing black pepper importers since 2019 were: mainland China (up 53.2%), Vietnam (up 15.7%), United Arab Emirates (up 14.2%) and South Korea (up 8%).

Those countries that posted declines in their imported black pepper purchases were led by: Nepal (down -58.3%), Netherlands (down -16.5%), Germany (down -10.2%), India (down -8.3%) and Japan (down -7.7%).

Imported Raw Black Pepper: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2020, the world’s average unit price for imports of non-crushed and unground black pepper was US$2,956 per ton.

The average tonnage charge paid by the number one importer of non-crushed and unground black pepper, United States of America, was lower at $2,766.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported raw black pepper in 2020.

  1. Burkina Faso: US$51 per ton (down -75.9% from 2019)
  2. Kyrgyzstan: $60 per ton (down -93.5%)
  3. Mauritania: $140 per ton (down -21.8%)
  4. Niger: $168 per ton (down -24%)
  5. Benin: $185 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
  6. Togo: $272 per ton (down -4.6%)
  7. Gambia: $305 per ton (up 21%)
  8. Lesotho: $411 per ton (down -42.4%)
  9. Congo: $632 per ton (down -19.2%)
  10. Tanzania: $651 per ton (up 30.2%)
  11. Mozambique: $740 per ton (down -65.2%)
  12. Timor-Leste: $1,000 per ton (down -25%)
  13. Chad: $1,000 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
  14. Ethiopia: $1,044 per ton (down -33.5%)
  15. South Sudan: $1,100 per ton (down -45%)

Posting the strongest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for non-crushed and unground black pepper from 2019 to 2020 were low-cost importers Kyrgyzstan (down -93.5%), Burkina Faso (down -75.9%), Mozambique (down -65.2%), South Sudan (down -45%), Lesotho (down -42.4%) and Ethiopia (down -25%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported unprocessed black pepper.

  1. French Polynesia: US$28,333 per ton (down -8.6% from 2019)
  2. Brazil: $24,182 per ton (up 361.9%)
  3. Kenya: $22,963 per ton (up 91.4%)
  4. Montenegro: $21,800 per ton (up 42.2%)
  5. Greenland: $21,000 per ton (up 68%)
  6. Faroe Islands: $18,000 per ton (up 132.3%)
  7. Luxembourg: $15,767 per ton (down -1.7%)
  8. Finland: $14,239 per ton (up 1.4%)
  9. Iceland: $14,042 per ton (up 11.3%)
  10. Samoa: $13,000 per ton (up 3803.9%)
  11. Macao: $10,400 per ton (up 191.2%)
  12. Denmark: $10,287 per ton (up 29.1%)
  13. Slovenia: $9,735 per ton (up 2.7%)
  14. Belgium: $9,458 per ton (down -2.9%)
  15. Bermuda: $9,333 per ton (down -2.8%)

The 6 greatest accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2020 compared to 2019 were experienced by importers in Samoa (up 3,804%), Brazil (up 361.9%), Macao (up 191.2%), Faroe Islands (up 132.3%), Kenya (up 91.4%) and Greenland (up 68%).

Imported Crushed or Ground Black Pepper: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2020, the world’s average unit price for imports of crushed and ground black pepper was US$3,962 per ton. Ironically, the average metric for processed black pepper exceeds the $2,956 per ton for raw black pepper.

The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of crushed and ground black pepper, America, was $3,635.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported crushed and ground black pepper in 2020.

  1. Togo: US$241 per ton (down -1.6% from 2019)
  2. Burkina Faso: $307 per ton (down -23.6%)
  3. Gambia: $323 per ton (up 45.5%)
  4. Chile: $645 per ton (down -19.2%)
  5. Congo, Democratic Republic of the: $708 per ton (down -33.9%)
  6. Lesotho: $744 per ton (down -31.1%)
  7. Yemen: $789 per ton (down -28.4%)
  8. Congo: $814 per ton (down -47.3%)
  9. Niger: $826 per ton (down 0.0%)
  10. Tajikistan: $875 per ton (down -23.4%)
  11. Kyrgyzstan: $916 per ton (down -25.3%)
  12. Ukraine: $958 per ton (down -23.1%)
  13. Ivory Coast: $982 per ton (down -23.8%)
  14. Timor-Leste: $1,122 per ton (up 26.9%)
  15. Jordan: $1,197 per ton (down -12.1%)

The severest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for crushed and ground black pepper from 2019 to 2020 were low-cost importers Congo (down -47.3%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (down -33.9%), Lesotho (down -31.1%), Yemen (down -28.4%), Kyrgyzstan (down -25.3%) and Ivory Coast (down -23.8%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported crushed or ground black pepper.

  1. Mali: US$29,235 per ton (up 2,093% from 2019)
  2. Greenland: $23,800 per ton (down -0.8%)
  3. Rwanda: $21,000 per ton (up 223.1%)
  4. French Polynesia: $20,133 per ton (up 33.1%)
  5. Saint Lucia: $17,778 per ton (up 238.6%)
  6. Faroe Islands: $14,200 per ton (down -32.4%)
  7. Luxembourg: $13,697 per ton (up 1.7%)
  8. Afghanistan: $13,500 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
  9. Macao: $12,722 per ton (up 141.8%)
  10. Montenegro: $12,455 per ton (up 15.9%)
  11. Lithuania: $12,341 per ton (up 0.4%)
  12. Bermuda: $12,308 per ton (down -5.3%)
  13. North Korea: $11,000 per ton (up 120%)
  14. Aruba: $10,429 per ton (up 17%)
  15. Morocco: $10,250 per ton (down -7.6%)

The 5 strongest accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2020 compared to 2019 were experienced by importers of crushed or ground black pepper in Mali (up 2,093%), Saint Lucia (up 238.6%), Rwanda (up 223.1%), Macao (up 141.8%), North Korea (120%) and French Polynesia (up 33.1%).

See also Top Exported Spices by Sales, Weight and Unit Value, Top Salt Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Cloves Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Nutmeg Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Vanilla Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Black Pepper Showroom. Accessed on February 13, 2022

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on February 13, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 13, 2022

Wikipedia, Black Pepper. Accessed on February 13, 2022