In January, Thailand unexpectedly became the second-largest buyer of Vietnamese “black gold”, quadrupling its spending to import more than 1,200 tonnes of pepper.

According to statistics from the Customs Department, by mid-February this year Vietnamese enterprises had exported nearly 31,200 tonnes of various types of pepper, earning US$203.3 million. Compared to the same period last year, exports of the commodity often referred to as Vietnam’s “black gold” surged 64.3 percent in volume and 58.1 percent in value.

Regarding export markets, the US remained the largest customer in January, accounting for 24.5 percent of total pepper shipments. In just one month, exports to the US reached 5,308 tonnes, with an estimated value of US$38.9 million, soaring 89.3 percent in volume and 80.5 percent in value year on year.

Last year, the US imported pepper from 54 markets. Among them, Vietnam was the largest supplier, accounting for 71.37 percent of total import volume and 72.77 percent of total import value.

Notably, in January Thailand sharply increased its spending, paying nearly US$8.93 million to purchase 1,223 tonnes of Vietnamese pepper. This represented a surge of 354.6 percent in volume and 305.9 percent in value compared to the same period in 2025.

As a result, Thailand rose from seventh position to become the second-largest buyer of Vietnamese pepper, accounting for 5.64 percent of total export volume, behind only the US.

Exports to several other markets also recorded strong growth. Shipments to the United Arab Emirates rose 220.6 percent in volume and 175.5 percent in value; exports to Canada increased 174.6 percent and 146.1 percent respectively; and exports to Russia grew 98.3 percent in volume and 92.2 percent in value.

Currently, domestic pepper prices range from VND149,000 to VND151,000 per kilogram. Meanwhile, export prices for black pepper remain stable at US$6,400-6,600 per tonne for grades 500g/l and 550g/l.

Tam An