Mattancherry: The price of pepper has nosedived to the shock of farmers. The price dropped by Rs 1800 per quintal in last two weeks. The merchants said that the import of pepper from Brazil resulted in the price fall.

Presently, Brazilian pepper has the lowest price in international market. But it is of low demand in Europe and other places. Brazilian pepper is imported to India on the condition that it will be exported after processing. But it is not exported and is introduced in local markets causing the price drop, the merchants said.

Brazilian pepper is much similar to Indian pepper in colour and thickness and has longer shelf life. Naturally, its arrival here will cause a price fall.

Indian pepper costs 4500 dollars per ton in international market. Vietnam pepper costs 1900 dollars per ton, Sri Lankan pepper 3000 dollars and Indonesian pepper 2000 dollars. But Brazilian pepper price is 1800 dollars only.

As Brazilian pepper has presence of bacteria in it, it is not popular in European markets. This year, Brazil has had surplus production of pepper and they are likely to export more pepper to countries like India.

Meanwhile, Indian Pepper and Spice Traders Consortium coordinator Kishore Shamji demanded that the arrival of Brazilian pepper in local markets should be stopped as it causes price drop. He also demanded that the central government should monitor the import of pepper.