IMPORT OF PEPPER BY CANADA
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 Million square kilometers, making it the world’s second largest country by total area. Furthermore, Canada actively imports pepper from various pepper producing countries for domestic consumption or for re-export.
In 2018, Canada was reported to have imported a total 7,065 Mt of pepper which 54% or 3,786 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper while 46% or 3,279 Mt of it was ground pepper. The average import of pepper by Canada in 2018 was reported to be 589 Mt per month with the highest quantity recorded in May with 713 Mt. The total expenditure of pepper import by Canada was reported to be as high as USD 44.8 Million, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Canada at USD 5,614 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 7,206 Per Mt for ground pepper.
Year 2019 saw an increasing trend in term of quantity of pepper imported by Canada. Canada was reported to have recorded a total of 7,386 Mt which 50.5% or 3,729 Mt of it comprised of whole pepper and 49.5% or3,656 Mt of it was ground pepper. Thus, recording an increase of 5% when compared to the same period in 2018. The average pepper imported by Canada was reported at 615 Mt per month which peaked in April with 717 Mt. Although increasing in terms of quantity, Canada was reported to have spent 13% less on its pepper import, totaling at USD 39.0 Million, Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Canada at USD 4,908 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 5,674 per Mt for ground pepper or a decrease by 13% and 21% respectively as compared to 2018.
As of March 2020, Pepper import by Canada was reported with an increase of 5% as compared to the same period in 2019, totaling at 1,941 Mt which comprised of 51% or 989 Mt of whole pepper and 49% or 952 Mt of ground pepper. The total expenditure of pepper import by Canada as of March 2020 was reported with a decrease by 9% when compared to the same period in the previous year, totaling at USD 9.2 Million. Thus, recording an average price of the total pepper imported by Canada at USD 4,150 per Mt for whole pepper and USD 5,366 per Mt for ground pepper.
The top five countries of origins of Canada’s pepper as of March 2020 were reported to be Viet Nam with 963 Mt (an increase of 24% as compared to the same period in 2019), United States of America with 467 Mt (a decrease of 1%), India with 179 Mt (unchanged), Brazil with 78 Mt (a decrease of 45%) and China with 52 Mt (an increase of 27%). The decreased of Canada import from Brazil could be contributed to Canada preference of importing from other origins countries which offered more competitive price such as Viet Nam (an increase by 187 Mt as compared to the same period in 2019) and China (an increase by 11 Mt).
(VPA &IPC)
