(IPC Jakarta, 15/08/2014) The International Pepper Community has established the two Quality Standards for Pepper namely: (i) IPC Grades of Whole Pepper Black and White, (ii) IPC Grades of Treated Whole Pepper Black and White. These standards were adopted by the IPC member countries at the 29th Annual Session and Meetings of IPC held at Belem, State of Para, Brazil in November 2001.
The two IPC Grades developed by the IPC Committee on Quality were arrived at, after taking into consideration of most of the existing national and international quality standards and also giving due regard to the views of the IPC member countries as well as spice trade associations in the major consuming countries.
After considering the importance of the revision of the Standards for Pepper and Pepper products to be compatible with developing technology and the demand, IPC decided to revise them. As per the decision made in the last Meeting of IPC Committee on Quality held in Cochin, India during February 2014 to evaluate and review the current quality standards, an electronic Working Group chaired by Indonesia was constituted aimed at initiating the works for reviewing the IPC Quality Standards. In June and July 2014, two meetings among Executive Director of IPC, and Chairperson, Mrs. Chandrini Dewi and members of the e-WG from Indonesia were held at the Directorate for Quality Development of the Trade Ministry in Jakarta to discuss and review the comments received from the members of the committee on the proposed revised standard.
The revised draft IPC Quality Standards will consist of the following
IPC Grades Specifications for Whole Black Pepper (grades I, II and III)
IPC Grades Specifications for Whole White Pepper (grades I and II)
IPC Grades Specifications for Ground Black and White Pepper (grades I and II)
While comments on the proposed revised grades are being received from the expert members of IPC Committee on Quality and members of the e-Working Group for consideration. The Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Gunaratne has assured that the revised IPC Quality Standard for Pepper will be finalized before the 42nd Session, so that this can be placed for consideration and approval at the 42nd Annual Session of IPC, to be held in HCM City, Vietnam during 27th - 30th October 2014.
