Pepper sector: a minimal amount of share in export

Malagasy pepper, or pink pepper for insiders, is part of the annuity products exported by Madagascar and is among the staple foods bringing foreign currency to the country. Despite the high demand for this product on the international market, the export of pepper is still at a minimal quota of 0.45 % compared to the global amount of the country’s exports.

Yet, the Malagasy pepper quality is deemed « extra » for its exotic and freshly pungent flavor. The Great Island produces annually between 1500 and 2000 tonnes of pepper. The main production areas are located on the east coast, and the production period is between June and September.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, 42 % of the total quantity of pepper exported by Madagascar is forwarded to Morocco, followed by France (14.99 %), Singapore (12.74 %) and Belgium (8.73 %).
In 2011, the Malagasy black pepper was sold at 8 Euros per kilo on the international market, while the white pepper was valued at 10 Euros. It is good to mention that in 2010 the export of Malagasy pepper provided the country with a foreign currency income of 10.416 million Ariary, which is the equivalent of an amount of 1 864 tonnes of exported products. Global demand for this product currently stands at around 284 450 tonnes.