INTERNATIONAL pepper prices declined further in the week to February 19 largely as a result of hefty availability from Vietnam's 2009 crop and the cautious, hand to mouth buying which has arisen from the economic crisis.
Trade estimates have pegged the Vietnamese crop at around 110,000 tonnes, which would be similar to that of 2008. The country is said to still have up to 20,000 tonnes in carryover stocks...READ MORE