Abstract Two major cultivars of black pepper from Kerala viz. Vellanamban and Sreekara and one Indonesian cultivar grown in Kutching in Kerala were analyzed for a period of three consecutive seasons for their oil composition. Fifty-five compounds were identified in the oils by GC and GC/MS. The main components of vellanamban oil were sabinene (3.9â18.8%), β-pinene (3.9â10.9%), limonene (8.3â19.8%) and β-caryophyllene (28.4- 32.9%). Sreekara oil contained as major compounds β-pinene (0â11.2%), limonene (20.1â22.1%) and β-caryophyllene (16.8â23.1 %). Kutching oil contained α-pinene(2.3â5.4%), sabinene (6.7â13.3%), limonene (14.5â17.5%) and β-caryophyllene (20.8â39.1%).