Domestic consumption includes pepper for grinding,
extraction of oil and oleoresins, the requirements of other industries
and pepper for use by households and food establishments. Dramatic
increase in production, coupled with decreasing price has seen
rising consumption of pepper in producing countries. Using export
as an indication of demand in consuming countries, coupled with
estimates of domestic consumption in producing countries, utilization
of pepper has increased substantially more than the 3-4% per annum
traditionally estimated for annual increase in demand. A significant
portion of this increase can be traced to producing countries,
with developing food industry sectors as well as grinding and
extraction activities.
Following are estimates of domestic consumption
and stocks carryover during 2001 – 2003
