Lok Sabha Question No. 1167 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-30
Subject: Spice Production
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Anto Antony

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1167 ANSWERED ON 30/07/2024

## SPICE PRODUCTION

## 1167.  SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मं त्री ) be pleased to state:

(a) the details of action taken by the Government to address the quality concerns surrounding Indian spice exports;

(b) the details of steps taken by the Government to strengthen enforcement mechanisms and ensure adherence to food safety standards across the spice production and export chain;

(c) the extent to which the Government is assessing the potential economic impact of these quality concerns;

(d) the details of contingency plans that are in place to mitigate potential losses and protect the livelihoods of Indian spice farmers and exporters;

(e) the  details  of  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  Indian  spices  meet  European Union (EU) standards and regain market access;

(f) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  have  a  long-term  strategy  to  improve  the  overall quality and brand reputation of Indian spices in the global market; and

(g) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

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(a) to (d) The Spices Board has, after conducting root cause analysis, issued 'Comprehensive Guidelines' to all exporters to prevent possible Ethylene Oxide contamination at all stages namely, procurement  of  raw  materials,  processing,  packing,  storage,  transportation  etc.  As  part  of  the guidelines,  the  Board  has  issued  directions  to  all  the  exporters  to  include  monitoring  of  raw materials procured as well as finished goods as part of the Critical Control Points (CCP) in their Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) and to take steps to prevent contamination of spices, across  various  stages  of  the  supply  chain,  including  procurement,  processing,  packing,  storage, export etc. The quality evaluation program of the Board has also been updated.

This  is  in  addition  to  the  other  ongoing  initiatives  taken  through  the  Board  aimed  at  ensuring quality of spices exported from India, such as:-

(i) Assistance  to  farmers/  FPOs/  Farmer's  clusters  to  purchase  and  install  post-harvest machines like dryers /curing devices,  washing /cleaning / grading machines, distillation units  etc.  with  the  objective  of  improving  the  quality  and  safety  of  spices  at  the  post harvest stage.

(ii) Assisting exporters in setting up/ upgradation of in-house labs,  and  through programs such as 'Assistance for implementation of food safety and quality assurance mechanisms  /  certifications'  and  'Assistance  to exporters  for Rapid  Food  Testing Devices and Kits' etc.

(iii) Conduct of capacity building programs and campaigns for the stakeholders along the value chain on quality and safety aspects of spices and good practices to be followed at each stage of the value chain.

(iv) Under  the  Mission  Clean  Spices  initiative,  various  collaborative  projects  with Quality Council of India (QCI), the spice industry, and United Nations' Standards and Trade  Development  Facility  have  been  taken  up  aimed  at  strengthening  agricultural practices, building capacity across the spices value chain for expanding exports of safe and high-quality spices, and promoting sustainability.

(v) As part of its quality management system for exports, Spices Board is undertaking quality evaluation of export consignments of select spices to select destinations so as to ensure compliance with the quality specifications of importing countries. The Board has established  8  state  of  the  art  quality  evaluation  laboratories  (QEL)  across  the  major production/  exporting  centres,  and  has  also  empanelled  NABL  accredited  laboratories across India so as to make available testing and evaluation facilities for the quality and safety  compliance  of  Spices  &  Spice  products  that  are  being  exported  from  India  to various  destinations.  The  export  consignments  are  screened  for  known  and  emerging quality and safety concerns including toxins, contaminants, residues etc. Also, the spices, parameters and destinations under the quality evaluation program of the Board is revised periodically  based  on  the  standards  of  the  importing  country,  potential  and  emerging risks etc.

Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  also  implements  several  programmes  to improve the quality of spices at the production stage, through activities including planting material production, pesticide  free  cumin  production,  cluster  based  organic  production  of  high  curcumin turmeric  varieties,  disease  free  ginger  seed  production  programme,  promotion  of  high  density cinnamon cultivation and promotion of GI varieties.

India is the leading producer, consumer and exporter of spices and spice products in the world. In FY 2023-24, India produced a total quantity of around 11.80 million MT of spices and exported over 1.54 million MT of spices during the year, which is around 13 % of the total spice production  in  the  country.  A  comparison  of  the  total  consignments  exported  from  India  and rejections incurred from importing countries, during the calendar  years of 2022, 2023 and 2024 (Jan-March) revealed that the total rejection was only 0.2% of Indian spice exports. The export of spices and spice products from India crossed  an all-time high in FY 2023-24 valued at USD 4,464.17 million.

(e) European  Union  (EU)  is  one  of  the  major  destination  for  Indian  Spices.  Spices  Board undertakes  mandatory  sampling  and  testing  for  Ethylene  oxide  for  all  Spices  &  Spice  products exported to EU under Codes 0904 to 0910, 1302 & 2103 of the Harmonised System (HS) of Trade Classification. Also, the consignments of spices including Chilli, Turmeric, Ginger, Nutmeg, Mace and  Curry  Powder,  exported  to  the  EU  are  tested  for  selected  parameters  for  enabling  export. Further,  the  Board  through  the  Indian  Mission  attends  technical  meetings  with  the  regulatory bodies in the EU, for understanding the new and emerging standards/ requirements for spices and taking up the concerns of the Indian spice sector with regard to quality and safety aspects.

(f) & (g) In addition to the ongoing initiatives of Spices Board and Ministry of Agriculture as per details given in reply to (a) and (b), Spices Board as part of the ' Sustainability in Spice sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED)' has been assisting the exporters of Spices for promoting the Indian Spice Brand in overseas markets by providing an interest free brand promotion loan, supporting participation of exporters in major international trade fairs/ exhibitions (both direct participation and through the Board's pavilion), thereby enabling them to undertake market development and brand promotion activities.  The  Board  is  also  organizing  the  biennial  World  Spice  Congress  (WSC)  a  major international  exclusive  B2B  event  for  spices  with  participation  of  more  than  1000  delegates, including leading buyers, exporters and other stakeholders.

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