The pepper market on Friday ended unchanged due to limited activities.

Buyers were on wait and watch mode following rumours of arrival of several consignments of pepper from Sri Lanka and Vietnam at ICDs in Bangalore, Thuglakkabad and Nhav seva ports etc., market sources told BusinessLine .

On the spot 15 tonnes of pepper were traded. Rajkumari pepper was traded at ₹745 a kg while High range material at ₹742 a kg. Pepper from other regions were sold at ₹725, ₹730, ₹735 and ₹740 a kg, they said.

Following arrival of rains in western and northern India demand is expected to pick up, they said.

They said because of wet conditions prevailing in Kerala the moisture content in the pepper is at 14 per cent.

Therefore, the conversion charges would come to around ₹35 a kg. There are said to be buyers for graded mechanically treated pepper at ₹760-765 a kg. Therefore, according to the trade, the price for garbled pepper given by the IPSTA is inadequate.

Spot prices remained at ₹72,000 (ungarbled) and ₹74,500 (ungarbled) a quintal.

Indian export prices were at $12,950 a tonne (c&f) for Europe and $13,200 a tonne (c&f) for US.

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