The merger of administrative units has created new opportunities for Đức An Commune in Lâm Đồng Province. It has opened the way for the development of large-scale agricultural production. With a strategy focused on increasing value, the commune is restructuring its pepper-growing areas. More specifically, it aims to become the capital of Vietnamese-origin pepper.
Đức An was a new commune through the merger of Nam Bình Commune, Đắk N’Drung Commune, and Đức An Town. The new commune covers more than 16,000 hectares and has a population of over 33,000. The expanded administrative area has created favorable conditions for organizing agricultural production on a larger scale. Vietnamese black pepper has been identified as one of the commune’s key crops. Lâm Đồng Province currently has around 37,200 hectares of black pepper, producing approximately 85,200 tons annually.
Đức An alone has a pepper-growing area of more than 4,500 hectares, with an annual output of 11,000-12,000 tons. This accounts for about 12% of the province’s pepper-growing area and 13-14% of its total production. Despite having a large, concentrated raw material base, pepper production in the commune has long faced a number of internal challenges.
For many years, Vietnam’s black pepper has been both a major source of income and a livelihood for local farmers. It has sustained them through periods of both high and low prices. However, traditional farming methods, which rely largely on individual experience, have made it difficult to ensure consistent product quality.
Vietnamese-origin pepper
After each harvest, farmers typically sell their Vietnamese-origin pepper directly to traders, limiting access to formal distribution channels. In practice, a large cultivation area alone does not guarantee high economic value or sustainable development without effective production management. These challenges have become even more pronounced as international consumer demand continues to evolve.
Ms. Hoàng Thị Liên is the Chairwoman of the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association. From her view, Vietnam remained the world’s leading producer and exporter of black pepper in 2025. Accordingly, it accounted for approximately 36.3% of global supply.
Despite its leading position, Vietnam faces increasingly stringent technical requirements from key export markets. These include the European Union, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and China. These markets demand strict compliance with food safety standards, product traceability, transparent production processes, and environmental responsibility.
As global market conditions continue to change rapidly, a production model focused solely on increasing output is becoming increasingly risky and unsustainable. If growers pay attention only to yield per hectare while neglecting pesticide residue control and farm record-keeping, Vietnamese-origin pepper will struggle to strengthen its competitiveness in international markets. This will make it more difficult to compete in global export markets.
To address these challenges, Đức An Commune is shifting its focus from expanding cultivation areas to increasing quality and value per unit of production. The transformation begins at the farm level by promoting the use of organic fertilizers and biological products.
It also includes adopting water-saving irrigation systems and strengthening the control of pesticide use. Through technical training programs, farmers receive systematic guidance on soil improvement, pest management, and maintaining farm records.
As a result, an increasing area of black pepper plantations now meets advanced production standards. These include VietGAP, Vietnam Organic, international organic certification, Rainforest Alliance, and Grown for Good. According to Mr. Lê Hoàng Vinh, Vice Chairman of the Đức An Commune People’s Committee, the most significant change lies not only in farming techniques but also in farmers’ production mindset.
Vietnamese pepper farm
In the past, growers focused primarily on maximizing yield per hectare. Today, they are proactively working to meet technical standards and ensure product traceability. They are also complying with the increasingly stringent requirements of export markets.
Although carefully controlling agricultural inputs and documenting every stage of production requires considerable effort, these practices are essential. They ensure that Đức An’s black pepper is valued for its quality rather than its volume alone. Alongside improvements at the farm level, the commune is also encouraging farmers to join cooperatives. It is also strengthening partnerships with Vietnamese spice businesses.
This model helps organize raw material areas more effectively and standardize cultivation practices. It also enables companies to monitor product quality from the beginning of each growing season. Detailed records of agricultural inputs and farming activities have also become an important foundation for ensuring product traceability.
The involvement of businesses throughout the production process, from technical guidance to contract purchasing, not only helps secure a reliable supply of high-quality pepper but also provides growers with stable market access. Building on this foundation, Đức An has been selected to pilot Lâm Đồng Province’s clean black pepper value chain during the 2026-2030 period.
However, according to leaders of the Lâm Đồng Department of Agriculture and Environment, developing certified raw material areas is only part of the solution. To retain greater added value, the province must continue attracting investment in primary processing, storage, deep processing, and more effective management of pepper-growing areas.
Vietnamese source: https://thuonghieusanpham.vn/tu-quan-tri-vung-nguyen-lieu-den-khat-vong-thu-phu-ho-tieu
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