'Clean spices need of the hour'

Experts have emphasised the need to produce good quality spices so that it will fetch them a good price.

“Clean spices, not cleaned spices should be the motto of Indian spice industry. To maintain India’s prime position in the international market value addition, quality assurance and diversified uses of spices are the areas to be explored further,” said K V Peter, director of World Noni Research Foundation (Chennai) who was emphatic in his views on the prospects of producing and exporting spice crops.

Delivering the keynote address at the national seminar on current trends and future prospects in production and export of spice crops with special reference to chillies at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad at the weekend, he said production of quality clean spices was important to fetch higher prices in international market due to stiff competition from other producing countries. He said promotion of organic spices and value-added spices are important in this context.

Analysis of statistics in the last five decades has revealed that there is tremendous increase both in quantity exported and values realised from spices. High growth in area was noticed in chillies, ginger, turmeric, garlic, nutmeg, clove and seed spices. Peter attributed the high growth rate in production and productivity to intensive research and development efforts.

Varied use of spices as sources of natural colours, flavours, anti-microbial and anti-oxidants, and the medicinal and beneficial health effects of spices with its anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetic and hypocholesterolemic properties may be given emphasis to attract global market, he explained.

Noting that spices constitute an important group of agricultural commodity considered indispensable for flavouring foods and beverages, and also in pharmaceutical, perfumery and cosmetic industries, Peter said due to consumer resistance to chemical additives, spices are important as sources of natural colours, flavourants, anti-microbials and anti-oxidants.

In the emerging nutraceutical and wellness industries spices could play a vital role with their health promoting effects. India produces 3.9 million tonnes of spices per annum, in area of 2.5 million hectares. India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices in the world. Chilli occupies the major share of area and production among the spices cultivated in India.

Peter pointed out that 90 per cent of the spices produced in the country is consumed domestically and the rest is exported to 150 countries. Indian share of the world spice trade is 47 per cent by volume and 40 per cent by value, he added.

Andhra Pradesh, which produces 1.2 million tonnes per annum is the highest producer followed by Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Mint products occupied the prime position in spice exports, contributing 30 per cent to export earnings followed by chilli (23 per cent), spice oils and oleoresins (14 per cent) and pepper (9 per cent). Indian spices are highly solicited in USA, EU, Sri Lanka, Japan and West Asia. India also enjoyed a global monopoly in the export of spice oil and oleoresin.