(IPC, Jakarta) The 38th Annual Session of the International Pepper Community will be held this year in Cochin, Kerala, India. In the 37th Session of IPC held in Belem, Para State, Brazil during 30th November – 4th December, Mr. V.J. Kurian, IAS, the plenipotentiary representative and Head of the India Delegation informed that the Government of India would be hosting the 38th Session and other related Meetings of IPC in Cochin, Kerala, India during second half of November 2010.

Mr. V.J. Kurian, IAS is the current Chairman of IPC (2009-2010). He replaces Mr. Odilson Luiz Ribeiro e Silva of Brazil who was the IPC Chairman for 2008-2009.

The 38th Session of IPC will consist of the following meetings:

• 16th Meeting of IPC Committee on Quality
• 41th Meeting of Pepper Exporters
• 35th Meeting of Peppertech
• 18th Meeting of Pepperexim
• 38th Executive Meeting of Heads of Delegations
• 38th Plenary Session

Officials, scientists, exporters and other representatives from the IPC member countries, spice trade associations and international organizations are expected to participate in the above meetings, to be organized jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Spices Board of India and the International Pepper Community, Jakarta.

Mr. V.J. Kurian IAS delivering his country statement at the 37th Session of IPC held in Belem Hilton, Para, State Brazil in December 2009. Seen also Mr. Dede Kusuma (2nd left), Mr. Odilson Silva, the past immediate IPC Chairman (center) and Mr. Cássio Alves Pereira, Secretary of the Para State of Agriculture (Photo: io@ipcnet.org)

The IPC Secretariat welcomes technical or trade-related papers from scientists working on pepper, spice trade associations in other producing and consuming countries and other individuals, to be considered for presentation in the above Meetings.

Cochin, known as the Queen of Arabian Sea,is home to many large and medium scale industries making it the commercial capital of Kerala. For centuries, Cochin has been a very important trading post on the west coast of India, paving way for trade with the Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and British. Today, Cochin is a bustling industrial centre with industries ranging from ship building to handicrafts and petrochemical refining to spice trading.

The last two Sessions of IPC hosted by India were in 1997 and 2003. Both Sessions were held in Casino Hilton, Cochin, Kerala, India.

The IPC Secretariat will be making available all the details information in the IPC website very soon upon receipt of the exact dates and venue for the 38th Annual Session of IPC from the Government of India. (IPC/nh)