Bismillahirrahmanirrahim,

Dear International Pepper Community Friends and Family!

Assalamualaikumwarahmatullahiwabarakatuh and a very Happy New Year. Here’s wishing everyone a happy, safe and prosperous 2025!

Having overcome the test of time over more than five decades of its establishment, the International Pepper Community (IPC) continues to thrive in becoming a dynamic organization and one of the leading figures of the industry by ensuring the sustainability and advancement of the global pepper industry.

It has been my privilege and honour to lead the IPC Secretariat for more than 3 years now and I will bid farewell to the IPC Secretariat, May this year. For me personally, it has always been a wonderful start and a beautiful end to an exciting journey in the pepper industry.

I like to think there are positive to be drawn from the issues and challenges we have found ourselves in the industry. The displays of kindness, empathy and perseverance that our entire IPC family has demonstrated has made us stronger, more resilient, caring an agile than ever before. There is no better time than now, for me, to extend my heartfelt appreciation to everybody who supports the IPC Secretariat across the world.

As we welcome 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we've had together over the past years and to look ahead with optimism and ambition. This would not have been possible without the dedication of our team and the valuable collaboration of our pepper stakeholders.

2024 was a year of progress, collaboration, and resilience. Together, we have navigated a dynamic pepper market landscape. Your trust and partnership have been the cornerstone of our success, and for that, I am profoundly grateful. 2024 has seen the continuous of geo-political issues in the Eastern Europe and Middle East, civil unrest and extreme weather events as well as changes in world leader.

Mid 2024, we have seen the sudden movement in the world pepper trade economy as the pepper price fluctuate significantly for the next few months as report of reduced crop received from few of the producing countries. Despite all the challenges, the IPC Secretariat continues the implementation of its work plan to fulfill the role and function of the Community.

Looking ahead, 2025 promises to be a year of even greater opportunity. Challenges remain for the IPC along the way. IPC ought to stay the course and stand united to weather the current tide of complicated developments and global situation ranging in the instability of pepper prices, disruption in logistics, stringent rules and regulations for pepper trade, climate change and many others. IPC ought to ensure its role as an effective player in the development of the global.

In 2025, IPC has formulated series of resolutions in the form of programmes and projects with the sole purpose for the betterment of the pepper industry stakeholders. We are planning to enlarge the Community by embracing and collaborating more with active players of the industry. We are also formulating programmes and projects which would be catered to all the stakeholder of the industry both the supply and demand sides. We are always open for ideas, suggestions and feedback from the industry on how we can better improve our programmes and projects.

As we embark on this new chapter, I invite you to share your insights, ideas, and aspirations with us. Together, we can build on our achievements and create a stronger, more resilient future because #togetherwearestronger.

We have a lot of work ahead, let’s joined our hand in the spirit of collaboration and togetherness to bring about a brighter future to the industry which put forth sustainability of the global pepper industry, better economic chance for the smallholders and their future generation.

We at the IPC Secretariat look forward to working with all IPC Member Countries, Associate Members, other pepper producing countries and relevant internationals organizations and associations to bring about the pepper industry to a new height. In the face of challenges, remember: 'The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today’. I believe your cooperation and joint efforts will be the key factor in overcoming the challenges awaits the pepper industry.

Again, on behalf of the IPC Secretariat, we thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Wishing you and your loved ones a prosperous and fulfilling 2025! Let this year be the best yet, filled with efficiency and fruitfulness.

Thank you and kind regards.

Yours Sincerely,

Firna Azura Ekaputri Haji Marzuki

Executive Director of IPC