Spices exports surge 8% in Apr-Dec

In volume term, spices exports showed a decline to 603,885 tonnes in first nine months of the financial year 2015-16

Triggered by large shipments of pepper, cardamom and chilli, spices exports from India jumped eight per cent in the April-December 2015 period of financial year 2015-16 (FY16).

Data compiled by Spices Exports showed the figure at Rs 11,453.99 crore ($ 1,770.86 million) during the period, as against Rs 10,580.53 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

In volume terms, however, exports showed a decline to 603,885 tonnes in the first nine months of FY16 as compared to 644,269 tonnes in the year-ago period.

“The value of exports has registered an increase of eight per cent because Indian spices continue to be much sought after overseas. However, there has been a dip of six per cent in terms of volumes exported, primarily due to decline in export of spice seeds,” said Spices Board Chairman A Jayathilak.

The country achieved 82 per cent of its full-year export target of Rs 14,014 crore ($2,260 million), set for the first nine months of FY16.

Export of pepper, cardamom, chilli, turmeric, celery, fennel, fenugreek, apart from tamarind, asafoetida and cassia, contributed substantially.Export of value-added products like curry powder and spice oils and oleoresins also increased in volume and value during the period. The export of cumin during FY16 reduced drastically because of low productivity caused by unfavourable climatic conditions.

Pepper exports stood at Rs 1,438.16 crore in the period, an increase of 62 per cent in volume and 83 per cent in value.Cardamom (small) made a remarkable stride in export earnings by fetching Rs 300.85 crore through shipment of 3,825 tonnes during this period, an increase of 83 per cent by volume and 63 per cent in value.

Around 253,000 tonnes of chilli worth Rs 2,781.20 crore were exported, recording an increase of two per cent in volume and 13 per cent in value from the same period in FY15.