FAQ Black Pepper, 500 / 550 / 570 g/l

What FAQ black pepper is

FAQ stands for fair average quality. It is the basic trade grade of whole black pepper: sun-dried, lightly cleaned, and sold on bulk density. It is not cleaned to ASTA limits, so it carries more foreign matter and moisture than a cleaned grade. That is also why it costs less.

We offer FAQ black pepper at three densities: 500 g/l, 550 g/l and 570 g/l. Moisture is 13–15% at most, and foreign matter is 0.5–1.5% at most. The exact limits are set in your contract.

Who buys FAQ pepper

FAQ pepper suits buyers who clean, sort or grind at destination. That means processors with their own cleaning line, grinders who sterilise and mill the pepper themselves, and traders who re-grade for their own customers. For these buyers, paying for cleaning at origin would mean paying twice.

If you need pepper that is ready to pack on arrival, look at ASTA cleaned black pepper instead.

How to choose a density

Bulk density is the weight of one litre of berries, in grams. It is the first number in any FAQ contract, because it tells you how mature and solid the berries are.

• 500 g/l. The entry grade. It has more light and hollow berries, and the lowest price per tonne.
• 550 g/l. The middle grade. Many buyers take it as a balance between yield and price.
• 570 g/l. The heaviest FAQ grade, with fewer light berries and more pepper per bag.

Higher density usually means less waste after cleaning. When you compare offers, compare them at the same density. A cheap 500 g/l offer is not the same product as a 570 g/l offer.

The specification

Product	Whole black pepper, FAQ
Origin	Dak Lak and Dak Nong, Vietnam
Moisture	13–15% max, by contract
Foreign matter	0.5–1.5% max, by contract
Bulk density	500, 550 or 570 g/l
Packing	PP bags, 25–50 kg net
Container load	13.5–16 MT per 20ft · 28 MT per 40ft HC
Port of loading	Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

A note on moisture. Pepper at 15% moisture weighs more, but it also carries more risk of mould on a long voyage. For long routes or hot seasons, we suggest you write 13% into the contract. We will tell you plainly if a lot is near the limit before it ships.

Where it comes from and who prepares it

The pepper is grown in Dak Lak and Dak Nong in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. It is dried and graded by processors we have qualified, and we compare more than one of them for each enquiry. You receive the processor’s name after your deposit, or when you visit us in Nha Trang.

How the lot is checked

Before loading, samples from your lot are checked for bulk density, moisture and foreign matter against your contract. If your contract names SGS, Control Union or Vinacontrol, they inspect the lot as well. Packing and loading are supervised. You receive photos of your cargo and the container number before documents are released.

Packing and loading

FAQ pepper is packed in new PP bags with 25–50 kg net each. A 20ft container takes 13.5–16 MT, depending on bag size and density. A 40ft high-cube takes about 28 MT. Tell us your marks and bag size with the enquiry.

Upgrades you can add

• Cleaning to ASTA. The same pepper, cleaned to 0.2% foreign matter. See ASTA cleaned black pepper.
• Steam sterilisation. See steam sterilised (HTST) black pepper.
• Tests and certificates, priced separately: SGS laboratory verification, pesticide residue testing, organic certification, Rainforest Alliance certification.

How to order

1. Send the density, volume, destination port and Incoterm. WhatsApp is fastest. We reply within one working day, Vietnam time (UTC+7).
2. Approve a sealed sample, couriered against your account. It becomes the reference sample in the contract.
3. Sign the contract: CIF or CFR (CNF) to your port, FOB on request. Payment by L/C at sight, or a T/T deposit with the balance against documents. No D/P or D/A on a first order.
4. The lot is inspected and loaded, and you receive the photos, the container number and the documents.

Questions buyers ask about FAQ pepper

Is FAQ pepper lower quality?

It is less cleaned, not a different pepper. FAQ is a trading grade for buyers who do the cleaning themselves. What matters is the density and the limits written into the contract.

Why do FAQ prices vary so much between sellers?

Mostly because of density and moisture. Compare offers at the same g/l and the same moisture limit.

Can you ship light berries or pinhead pepper?

Yes, on request. These are the by-grades that come out of cleaning. Ask for them in your enquiry.

HS code

Whole black pepper is classified under HS 0904.11 (pepper, neither crushed nor ground). Your customs broker confirms the national line.