Pepper growers in Kerala and Karnataka are holding back their produce following continuous fall in prices, market sources told Business Line. Spot prices fell further as more and more containers of pepper are reportedly lying at various ports /ICDs for clearance from the DRI, they said. On the terminal market, 17 tonnes were traded. Of this, one tonne of High Range pepper went for ₹430 a kg, while 16 tonnes of imported ones fetched ₹420. Spot prices were at ₹42,300 (ungarbled) and ₹44,300 (garbled) a quintal. Export prices were at $7,075 a tonne c&f for Europe and $7,325 for the US.