Lok Sabha Question No. 2987 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-10
Subject: Pepper Production in Kodagu
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Yaduveer Wadiyar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2987 ANSWERED ON 10/03/2026

## PEPPER PRODUCTION IN KODAGU

## 2987. SHRI YADUVEER WADIYAR:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्री) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Spices  Board  of  India  has  conducted  any  assessment  of  the decline in pepper production in Kodagu district of Karnataka during the year 2025-26 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the extent to which this shortfall in domestic production has affected/will affect India's pepper export volumes, export targets and international market share during the said period;
- (c) the details of Export Development and Promotion schemes being implemented  to  support  small  and  marginal  pepper  growers  in  Kodagu, particularly  for  upgrading  post-harvest  processing,  quality  improvement  and value addition infrastructure; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  examined  the  need  to  revise  the  Minimum Import Price (MIP) for pepper to safeguard domestic growers from the influx of cheaper or sub-standard imports during periods of domestic crop stress and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) & (b) The mandate for production, development, research and domestic marketing of spices other than cardamom is vested with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare. Directorate  of  Arecanut  and  Spices  Development,  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmer's Welfare has informed that it has conducted a quick pre-harvest survey in Kodagu district which indicates that black pepper production in Kodagu may increase by about 16% in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25.

Further, the export of pepper and pepper products from India during the period FY 202526  (Apr-Dec)  stood  at  USD  101.45  Mn  as  against  an  export  of  USD  88.43  Mn  in  the corresponding period of FY 2024-25 growing by 14.72 percent.

(c)  Spices   Board  under  the  'Sustainability  in  Spice  Sector  through  Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED)' scheme provides assistance to the growers of spices, including pepper growers of Kodagu district

of  Karnataka,  for  post-harvest  improvement  by  providing  pepper  thresher,  graders  / cleaners etc,  conducting capacity building programmes and undertaking market linkage initiatives  organizes  Buyer  Seller  Meets.  The  Board  has  established  two  offices  in Kodagu district of Karnataka to coordinate the implementation of its programs.

(d) Proposals for imposition/revisions in Minimum Import Price (MIP) are taken up by the Government from time to time. Presently, the import policy for pepper is 'Prohibited', with a provision permitting import only if the Cost Insurance & Freight (CIF) value is Rs. 500 per  kg  or  above.  The  said  MIP  of  Rs.  500/kg  continues  to  remain  in  force  and  is  not applicable to imports under Advance Authorization Scheme for export production, imports by 100% Export Oriented Units (EOU) and units in Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and imports  for  extraction  of  oleoresin  for  re-export  by  manufacturer-exporters,  subject  to applicable policy conditions

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