EXPORT OF PEPPER BY SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa, it is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometers of coastline of outhern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. South Africa, considered as one of pepper producing country despite in a smaller scale, cultivated pepper in the Lowfeld of Mpumalanga Province and KwaZulu Natal Province. South Africa actively export pepper to various countries in the past three years.

In 2018, South Africa was reported to have exported a total of 4,627 Mt of pepper from which 55% or 2,561Mt of it comprised of whole pepper and 45% or 2,066Mt of it ground pepper. South Africa on average exported a total of 386 Mt per month in 2018 which peaked in August with 546Mt. The total revenue of South Africa’s export of pepper in 2018 was reported to be as high as USD 18.8 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper exported by South Africa at USD 6,289 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 1,306 per Mt for ground pepper. Year 2019 saw a decrease in term of quantity of pepper exported by South Africa. South Africa was reported to have exported a total of 4,463 Mt of which 59% or 2,638 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper and 41% or 1,825 Mt of it ground pepper, recording a decrease of 4% when compared with 2018. The average export of pepper by South Africa in 2019 was reported to be at 372 Mt per month which peaked in May with 493Mt. In accordance with decreasing in terms of quantity, South Africa’s revenue from pepper export was also reported with a decreased by 4% as compared to the previous year to a total of USD 18.0 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper exported by South Africa at USD 5,995 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 1,207 per Mt for ground pepper or a decrease by 5% and 8% respectively as compared to 2018.

As of February 2020, South Africa was reported to have exported a total of 453 Mt which 80% or 364 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper and 20% or 89 Mt of it ground pepper. Thus, recording an increase of 2% when compared to the same period in 2019. As of February 2020, the total revenue of pepper export by South Africa was reported to have reached USD 2.0 Million. Thus, recording a decrease by 8% as compared to the same period in 2019. The average price of the total pepper exported by South Africa as of February 2020 was reported at USD 5,103 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 2,110 per Mt for ground pepper.

Pepper from South Africa is widely traded in America, Asia, Australia and Europe. As of February 2020, South Africa’s top 5 Country of destinations for its pepper were reported to be United States of America with 145 Mt (an increase of 33% as compared to the same period in 2019), Japan with 65 Mt (an increase of 260%), Australia with 55 Mt (an increase of 6%), United Kingdom with 39 Mt (an increase of 175%) and Botswana with 33 Mt (adecrease of 65%).

(VPA & IPC)