Coriander – Rain damage to the Indian crop has added to supply concerns following a poor crop in Eastern Europe last year.  Although the higher oil content of Eastern European coriander is often preferred, availability here has tightened, and, according to trade sources, buyers are looking towards south Asia.  Prices in Europe are now around the US$1900/tonne level, up from a more typical US$1500/tonne.  
 

Pepper – The New Year opened with a softer market for a short while, which then firmed up into the lunar New Year and the Tet holidays.  Lately, the Vietnamese Pepper Association (VPA) has reportedly encouraged farmers to hold back pepper in order to maintain the steady tone in the market.  
 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in January Vietnam exported 19,000 tonnes of pepper worth US$132 million, down 8% in volume and 5.5% in value versus the same period last year.  The VPA is anticipating a current crop of some 120,000 – 125,000 tonnes while other observers suggest that annual production of the order of 150,000 tonnes is more likely.