A Vietnamese booth at the VIPO 2025 (Photo: nld.com.vn)

Liu shared that the Chinese delegation, consisting of 20 businesses, actively held exchanges with Vietnamese sellers at the event with the aim of seeking business partners.

At the trade fair, Hoang Thi Lien, chairwoman of the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA) and the President of the China Spice Association, signed a memorandum of understanding on sustainable development of the Vietnamese pepper industry.

Liu expressed his desire to work alongside the Vietnamese pepper industry to jointly bring peppers in particular and Vietnamese spices in general to the world.

VIPO 2025, due to conclude on March 5, has attracted more than 300 delegates, including leading experts, domestic and international manufacturing and exporting enterprises, farmers, and representatives of local authorities.

In addition to discussions on important issues relating to the industry, the participants will also attend a field trip to learn more about the Vietnamese pepper supply chain.

Last year Vietnam exported 250,600 tonnes of pepper of all kinds worth more than US$1.3 billion, with exports of black pepper accounting for US$1.1 billion and white pepper US$200 million.

Although the pepper export volume in 2024 decreased by 5.1% compared to 2023, the export value surged by 45.4% thanks to a substantial increase in export prices.

According to the International Pepper Community (IPC), the price of Vietnamese pepper is expected to continue increasing in the year ahead due to a global supply decline, while demand in major markets such as the United States and Europe remains stable. Indeed, China may start purchasing pepper from the country after the Lunar New Year./.