Lok Sabha Question No. 1937 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Import and Production of Pepper
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1937 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3 rd JULY, 2019

## IMPORT AND PRODUCTION OF PEPPER

## 1937. ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा�ण�य एवं उ�योग मं�ी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has noticed that the huge import is causing fall in price of pepper in the domestic industry and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government will consider raising import duty of pepper and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of import of pepper in the last three years and the current year; and
- (d) the details of annual consumption and production of pepper in the country during the last three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h Jh ih;w'k xks;y

## THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

## ( ) (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a)    The domestic prices of pepper have fallen primarily due to decline in international prices owing to higher production and supply of pepper in the international market and also due to import of pepper from other countries into India. The price of black pepper has been showing declining trend since the year 2017-18. The average price of black pepper during 2017 -18 in domestic market was Rs. 473.73 per kg, which has declined to Rs. 378.21 per kg during 2018-19.
- (b)     Government is imposing a duty of 70% from 2007 onwards on import of pepper from all countries  other  than  those  covered  under  Trade  Agreements  and  import  under  Advance Authorization Scheme for value addition and re-export.  In addition, the imposition of Minimum Import Price for black pepper has helped to arrest steep fall of pepper prices and reduce imports. The estimated import of pepper into India in the year 2018-19 was 24950 Metric Tons as compared to 29650 Metric Tons in the year 2017-18, registering a decline of 15.9%.
- (c) The details of import of pepper in the last three years and the current year are given below;

| Year           |   Quantity (MT) |   Value (Rs.Lakhs) |
|----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
| 2015-16        |           19365 |             116296 |
| 2016-17        |           20265 |             111590 |
| 2017-18        |           29650 |             109084 |
| 2018-19 (Est.) |           24950 |              77991 |

(Est) : Estimate

Source: DGCI&S Kolkata/DLI from Customs

- (d)    The details of annual consumption and production of pepper in the country during the last three years and the current year are given below;

| Year        | Production (MT)   |   Domestic Consumption (MT) |
|-------------|-------------------|-----------------------------|
| 2015-16     | 73555             |                       50000 |
| 2016-17     | 62080             |                       55000 |
| 2017-18     | 70878             |                       58000 |
| 2018-19 (*) | 62144 * *         |                       58000 |

(*) Projection

Source: Production: Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development, Calicut,   Kerala. Consumption: International Pepper Community, IPC, Jakarta

- ** All districts of Kerala and five districts of Karnataka were affected by heavy rain, flood and landslide, damaging plantations resulting in low production during 2018-19.

****