India is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of black pepper, with production heavily concentrated in a few southern and north‑eastern states. Currently, Karnataka is the largest black pepper producing state, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu, while several of the smaller north‑eastern states are emerging contributors.
Top 10 Black Pepper Producing states of India.
The figures stated below are indicative recent annual production levels in tonnes and their relative importance based on IndiaStat data.
| Rank | State | Approx. Production (tonnes) | Key Growing Belts / Features |
| 1 | Karnataka | ~81,000 | Kodagu (Coorg), Dakshina Kannada, Udupi; high rainfall, hill slopes, research-led agro-tech. |
| 2 | Kerala | ~70,000 | Idukki, Wayanad, Kottayam; traditional home of Malabar pepper with ideal wet tropical climate. |
| 3 | Tamil Nadu | ~15,000 | Dindigul, Madurai, Coimbatore belts; often grown in agroforestry with coconut/arecanut. |
| 4 | Andhra Pradesh | ~8,000 | East & West Godavari, Krishna; intercropped below coconut and arecanut plantations. |
| 5 | Tripura | ~3,000 | Jampui Hills, Teliamura; important North‑East producer despite small area. |
| 6 | Meghalaya | ~2,000 | East Khasi & West Jaintia Hills; warm humid climate, rain‑fed cultivation. |
| 7 | Manipur | ~500 | Tamenglong, Churachandpur hill regions; small‑scale but expanding pepper area. |
| 8 | Nagaland | ~400 | Dimapur, Kohima; mid‑hill conditions favourable for vines. |
| 9 | Arunachal Pradesh | ~300 | Changlang, Lower Dibang Valley; limited by small landholdings. |
| 10 | Mizoram | ~200 | Lawngtlai, Lunglei; tropical climate and shade‑based traditional systems. |
Karnataka and Kerala together account for the overwhelming bulk of India's black pepper output, while the North‑East provides a niche, high‑flavour produce which is gaining commercial interest.
1. Karnataka
It has emerged as India's largest black pepper producer, helped by:
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Favourable agro‑climatic conditions in Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi represented by heavy rainfall, lateritic soils and high humidity.
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Research support, improved varieties, and better crop management that push average yields close to 1,000 kg/ha in some pockets.
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The pepper is generally trained on shade trees in the coffee and arecanut plantations, an important intercrop in the Western Ghats economy.
2. Kerala
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Historically, Kerala dominated the global pepper trade as the origin of Malabar pepper, once called “black gold.”
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Even though it has been recently overtaken by Karnataka, Kerala still accounts for an extremely high share of output because of:
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Ideal wet tropical climate in Idukki, Wayanad, Kottayam.
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Generations of farmer knowledge and dense smallholder networks.
3–4. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
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Tamil Nadu: Uses agro-forestry models, like pepper on support trees within coconut/arecanut orchards in districts such as Dindigul and Madurai. New hybrids have brought in better productivity.
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Andhra Pradesh: The districts of East and West Godavari and Krishna have expanded their pepper rapidly as an intercrop under perennial plantations.
Both states are important in diversifying pepper supply beyond the core Kerala–Karnataka belt.
5–10. North‑Eastern and Eastern States
Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram are leveraging the:
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High rainfall combined with hilly topography and forest margins suited to smallholder pepper.
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Scope for organic and specialty pepper suited to premium export niches.
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Although their respective volumes are modest, growth rates are high, and policy support scales up production considerably.
Which state in India is the biggest producer of black pepper?
The latest competitive exam and agricultural information shows that Karnataka tops the list, followed by Kerala.
Why did Karnataka overtake Kerala?
Karnataka has benefited from:
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Expansion in Kodagu and coastal districts.
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Improved disease management and the adoption of better varieties.
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Integration with coffee/arecanut plantations reduces risk for farmers.
What are the basic climatic requirements of black pepper?
Black pepper thrives in:
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Warm, humid tropical climate 25–35°C.
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Annual rainfall is about 2,000–3,000 mm.
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It prefers partial shade and well-drained, rich soils-the signature conditions of the Western Ghats and parts of the North-East.
Black pepper remains one of India's flagship export spices, with major shipments from Kerala and Karnataka to Europe, the Middle East, and North America, contributing substantially to the country's spice export earnings.
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