Vietnam’s pepper faces stern quality challengeVietnamese pepper will face stricter scrutiny this year on excessive use of agricultural pesticides, especially in the EU and US markets, experts say. Old mindsetThe VPA report identifies quality control in pepper production and processing as a major problem, which becomes more difficult to solve when a mindset of favouring quantity over quality persists among farmers. The VPA report says that until farmers recognise the severity of the problem and change their cultivation methods, more hardship and loss lie ahead. Without improving the quality of pepper produced for both domestic and international markets, the industry will face falling values and increasing instability. In 2016, pepper prices had fluctuated significantly in the international market, but the quantity exported reached an all time high.

Source: VietNamNet News February 09, 2017 10:07 UTC