Commodity Online
KOCHI: With the huge feasibility in the field of variety spices cultivation and value added process of the spices crops in the country, India has targeted 10 billion dollar exports of spices within 10 years.

Speaking at an award function organized by Spices Board for honoring exporters and spices farmers for their performance in Exports and Productivity, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Power Jairam Ramesh said the Board needs to elevate the proposed 10 billion dollar exports in the value term as a challenge by 2017.

India has set an all-time record in spices exports in 2007-08 by crossing the $ 1 billion mark in exports.

“In the value added segment, the country need to put nearly 75 percent efforts to achieve the proposed target per year," he said.

In order to catch such high target, the Minister said: "We need to increase the productivity of variety spices by promoting and providing much awareness among the farmers." Spices parks are in such institutions aimed at providing such awareness and guidelines to farmers, he said.

The Spices Board is planning to set up spices parks in different states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Assam, Madhypradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. In Kerala, land acquisition for the park is yet to get underway.

The Minister urged the Board to give much importance to non-traditional spice like chilly and mint since these were accounted for 50 percent in the total spices exports rather than traditional spices like cardamom and pepper.

“We have enormous opportunity to retain our lost domination over the spices in the world market by catering value added spices”, he said. The government is also considering electronic auction for pepper to reduce communication gap among farmers and other players in the field, he added.

The Minister distributed awards and certificates of merit to farmers and exporters who have achieved productivity in farming and excellence in exports.

C V Jacob, Managing Director of Synthite Industrial Chemicals, received Rolling Trophy for the topmost exporter of spices for four consecutive years now. Sushama Srikandath, Director & Chief Operating Officer of AVT McCormick Ingredients Pvt Ltd received several awards for their outstanding export performance and M E Meeran, Managing Director of Eastern Foods received awards for outstanding export performance of spice mixes including curry powder.

Spice Board Chairman V J Kurian IAS, Director (Marketing) S Kannan and Vice Chairman D M Kathiar Anand were also present in the function.