Lok Sabha Question No. 3149 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-31
Subject: Demand of Spices
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Richard Hay

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3149 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 st   DECEMBER,2018

## DEMAND OF SPICES

## 3149. PROF. RICHARD HAY

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा ͨणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंğी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the demand for spices and its products are  increasing  in the  internal and external markets;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to support the marketing, supply chain, exports and Pre and Post harvesting activities of spices in different States;
- (c) the details of new schemes open to the producers of spices and exporters to increase the production and supply of spices; and
- (d) the details of facilities provided to exporters to test the quality of their products with that  of  American  Spice  Trade  Association,  International  Pepper  Community  and Eurofins Lab Standards?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a)&(b): The analysis of past data for the period from 2000-01 to 2017-18 reveals that the demand of spices  in  the  country  has  increased  by  an  annual  growth  (Compound Growth  Rate -  CGR)  of  5% annually. The export of spices from India has also increased. The details of spices exported from India during last 3 years are given below:

| Year    | Quantity of spices exported from India ( in tonnes)   |   Value (Rs in lakhs) |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| 2015-16 | 8,43,255                                              |               1623823 |
| 2016-17 | 9,47,790                                              |               1766461 |
| 2017-18 | 10,28,060                                             |               1792955 |

Source: Spices Board

Government of India support the producers of spices in the country through its flagship programme, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), with the objective of promoting holistic development of horticulture including spices. The Mission programmes are implemented through State Horticulture Mission (SHM)  in  the  various  States.  The  MIDH  has  components  like  production  and  distribution  of  planting materials,  establishment  of  new  garden  (area  expansion),  creation  of  water  resources,  promotion  of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)/Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), promotion of organic farming, promotion  of Good  Agricultural Practices (GAP), mechanization, creation of  market infrastructure, processing and value addition etc. These programmes are aimed at improving production, productivity and quality of the spices.

(c):  The  mandate  for  the  production  and  development  of  spices  other  than  Cardamom  vests  with  the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW).  Several programmes are implemented by MoA&FW for increasing production, productivity and quality of spices in the country under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). The major interventions include area expansion, rejuvenation/replanting of old and senile crops, production and  distribution of quality planting materials, Integrated Pest and Disease Management, Integrated Nutrient Management, Organic farming, Mechanization, Integrated Post-harvest Management, Development of market yards, Technology dissemination through frontline demonstration, Human Resource Development etc.

To boost production of cardamom (small and large) in the country, under the Integrated Scheme for Export Promotion & Quality Improvement in Spices and Research & Development of Cardamom being implemented by the Spices Board, various programmes for production of quality planting materials, replanting of old and uneconomic gardens, new planting, irrigation development, improved curing facilities, farm mechanization, etc. are taken up.

Further, government is  implementing  various programmes   to boost export of spices from the country which,  inter-alia,  include  development  of  infrastructure  for  common  processing  facilities  in  Spices  Parks, product development & research for exporters, study of markets abroad, setting up of Quality Evaluation Laboratories to ensure that the quality of spices exported from the country meets quality specifications of consuming countries, assistance to farmers for post-harvest quality improvement in spices, trade promotion activities  including  participation  in  international  events,  promotion  of  Indian  spice  brands,  conducting training programmes for the stakeholders in Good Agricultural Practices etc.

(d): The Government through the Spices Board is promoting the exporters to set up/upgrade in-house labs  for  testing  the  raw  materials  as  well  as  finished  products  intended  for  exports.  The  Board  is conducting mandatory sampling and testing of export consignments of spices for identified countries in Board's Quality Evaluation Laboratories to prevent export rejections by importing countries. The Board  is  testing  the  samples  of  exporters  as  per  the  importing  countries  standards  viz.  American Spice  Trade  Association/European  Union  standards,  etc.  The  activities  of  these  laboratories  have helped to considerably reduce the export rejections of Indian spices due to quality and safety issues, thus boosting the overall export of spices from India.