The United States imported 33,728 tonnes of Vietnamese pepper worth US$135.23 million in the first eight months of the year, becoming the largest consumer of the Vietnamese product in the world, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Vietnam’s pepper output is high this crop, at 200,000 tons, but exports in the first five months of the year fell sharply as speculators reserved money to buy Robusta coffee.

Vietnam has exported 2,657 tonnes of pepper to the Chinese market as of mid-June. Exports to US and EU markets have dropped.

Vietnam's pepper exports are not challenged by Cambodia being issued a licence to export its pepper to China directly, according to experts.