Pepper demand appears to have taken a pause because of higher supplies from Karnataka to almost all the producing centres directly.

This was reflected in the prices. While the price in Kochi was up by ₹1 per kg, touching ₹313 per kg for ungarbled varieties, MG 1 garbled varieties realised ₹333, and new pepper was quoted at ₹303. The buyers are on a wait-and-watch mode, said Kishore Shamji of Kishor Spices.

Meanwhile, prices of the spice in Karnataka — which had skyrocketed after the relaxation in the lockdown — are now adjusting to realistic levels and a further slowdown in demand would reflect in prices too, he said.

The offtake in Kochi was 26 tonnes including 10 tonnes from Wayanad and 16 tonnes from the High Ranges in Idukki. It is also reported that the availability of Karnataka pepper in Wayanad, bordering Mananthawadi, is also finding markets in Gudalur and Tamil Nadu. Overall, pepper prices may remain steady to firm due to limited availability from Kerala, Shamji said.

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