The consortium of pepper traders and growers is appealing for limits to the quantity of pepper that can be imported under south Asian free trade agreement (SAFTA) from Sri Lanka at the concessional duty of 8% at 2500 tonnes.
Earlier this year India imposed a minimum import price of Rs 500 per kg on pepper to protect domestic pepper farmers. The Kerala chapter of Indian Pepper and Spices Traders, Growers, Planters Consortium said Sri Lanka has circumvented this by buying pepper from Vietnam, adding value and then exporting to India at a low price.
