DongNai (VNA) – Lam San agricultural cooperative in Cam My district, thesouthern province of Dong Nai, has exported over 500 tonnes of safe and organicpeppercorns to Europe since early this year.

Directorof the cooperative Nguyen Ngoc Luan said the cooperative will bring more than1,000 tonnes of clean pepper to Europe this year.

Earlierin October 2018, the Germany-based CERES - Certificationof Environmental Standards granted a certificate to the cooperative recognisingits 3.5ha of peppercorn plant as organic, raising the total of its organicpeppercorn plant cultivation to more than 10ha.

Since2012, the cooperative has grown organic peppercorn plants meeting GlobalGAPstandards.

In2015, it shipped around 200 tonnes of peppercorns to Europe. Later in 2018,upwards 1,000 tonnes were shipped to several European countries such as Germanyand the Netherlands while around 1,500 tonnes were sold domestically.

Luansaid safe peppercorns are sold at prices 7-10 percent higher than normal one athome while internationally-certified and organic peppercorns fetch 70 – 80percent more than conventional products.

Thecooperative has linked with 1,500 households and formed groups to grow over1,000ha of clean peppercorn plants for export.

Farmersjoining the cooperative’s production chain will have their products sold atmarket prices and enjoy additional 10,000 VND (0.43 USD) in bonus per kg.-VNA