Indonesia’s pepper productivity has declined in recent years due to the shrinking size of pepper plantations.Pangkalpinang (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has identified strong potential to increase exports of white and black pepper to Japan, driven by the country’s high consumption of pepper-based foods.Director of Plantation Product Downstreaming at the MoA, Kuntoro Boga Andri, said Japanese consumers have a remarkable demand for pepper, as much of their cuisine relies heavily on pepper, salt, and nutmeg.He added that this large market presents a valuable opportunity to boost exports of white pepper from the Bangka Belitung Islands and black pepper from Lampung.According to Kuntoro, the rising global demand for pepper has not been matched by an increase in domestic production.He noted that Indonesia’s pepper productivity has declined in recent years due to the shrinking size of pepper plantations.Data from the MoA shows that Indonesia’s pepper production has trended downward, from 83,915 tons in 2019 to 63,461 tons in 2025.This decline has become a serious concern for the government, which aims to restore the country’s pepper industry to its former strength amid growing competition from other major producers such as Vietnam, India, and Pakistan.Acting Head of the Agriculture and Food Security Office of Bangka Belitung Islands Province, Erwin Krisnawinata, said the region’s white pepper is renowned for its distinctive flavor and strong spiciness, making it highly appealing in international markets.However, Erwin described the current situation as rather ironic. Despite strong global prices and steady demand in recent years, many farmers have abandoned their pepper farms.He emphasized the need for a concrete strategy to reignite farmers’ interest in pepper cultivation while ensuring the sustainability of exports to promising markets such as Japan.
Indonesia eyes Japan to boost white and black pepper exports
