Value addition must to boost local pepper: board chief

Value addition is the best option for Indian pepper to gain advantage in global trade, said CJ Jose, chairman of Spices Board on Friday.

"The possibility of Indian pepper in its primary form, becoming globally competitive, in the immediate future is remote. Value addition is the best remaining alternative," he said.

India, the largest producer and exporter of pepper in the world till the turn of the century, is now struggling to find export markets as other producers out-price Indian pepper in the global market.

"This was not a sudden development. To a certain extent, the decline was anticipated. This led to development of the value added segment," Jose said.

"We are world leaders in value-added pepper products, with offerings ranging from pepper powder and pepper oleoresins to pepper oil," he said. Exports of value-added pepper products are growing steadily in value as well as volume, Jose said.