India has emerged as the largest exporter of black pepper to the United States during January-March 2007.

According to the data from the International Pepper Community, India is also the second largest suppliers of ground pepper to the US.

The data said shipments of black pepper from India to the US stood at 4,011 tonnes in January-March 2007 followed by Brazil 2,925 tonnes and Vietnam 859 tonnes.

Indonesia was the top supplier of whole white pepper into the US market during the first quarter, shipping 808 tonnes followed by Malaysia with 194 tonnes and Brazil exporting 95 tonnes.

Total import of whole white pepper into the US was reported to be around 1,247 tonnes, a fall by 21 per cent or 323 tonnes compared with 1,570 tonnes in the same period last year, it said

The IPC data said that import of ground pepper into the US has registered a significant increase by 20 per cent with India's position at second.

During the first quarter, the US imported 2,253 tonnes of ground pepper, an increase of 372 tonnes when compared to imports for the same period in 2006, which was only 1,882 tonnes.

Germany was the main supplier of ground pepper into the US market with 1,138 tonnes followed by India at 654 tonnes, China at 246 tonnes and Vietnam with 89 tonnes.