The coordinator of the Kerala chapter of Indian Pepper and Spice Traders, Growers , Planters Consortium stated in a letter to commerce minister, that Sri Lankan minister has stated that he hasn’t been able to prevent the export of 156 containers of Vietnam Pepper to India with certificate of beginning from Sri Lanka as it is a racket much like narcotics trafficking.

The Pepper buyers have appealed to the trade ministry to take steps to elevate vigil to prevent the import of Pepper from Vietnam through Sri Lanka with origin of certificates from the latter, mentioning the latest announcement through a Sri Lankan minister in media.

Sri Lanka has been cautioning Indian authorities seeing that final week of January that a hundred and eighty packing containers of approximately 1800 to 2000 tonnes of such Pepper have left Sri Lankan coast. This is over and above the Pepper smuggled to India from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal.

The supply of Vietnam Pepper is happening by using evading obligation to the song of forty three% as the duty for import from Vietnam is 51% against 8% for Sri Lanka under India Sri lanka Free Trade Agreement, averting the minimum import price of Rs 500 in step with kg constant by way of India for Pepper imports.