Pepper output to rise 2.3%

JAKARTA (JP): World pepper production is projected to increase 2.3 percent to 217,164 tons next year from about 212,200 tons this year.

The Jakarta-based International Pepper Community (IPC) said on Tuesday that the estimate was reached in a meeting between exporters and importers earlier this month in Sri Lanka.

IPC said that although production would rise by 5,000 tons, the exportable quantity in 2000 would be about 3,000 tons less than this year.

The projected exportable surplus for 2000 was estimated at 182,200 tons, compared to 184,921 tons in 1999.