Despite an all-time high performance in 2008-09, the current financial year has commenced with a pessimistic note on the export of major spices. Exports have dropped by 23 per cent in volume and 10 per cent in value during April and May of this fiscal, as compared to last year.
The export figure this April and May were 82,435 tonnes, valued at Rs 824.7 crore ($167.4 million) against 106,375 tonnes valued at Rs 920.6 crore ($224 million) in the same months of 2008-09. India had crossed a milestone in the export of spices in 2008-09, as total earnings crossed the Rs 5,000 crore mark for the first time. Exports for the year were 470,520 tonnes, up by 6 per cent and valued at Rs 5,300 crore, up by 19 per cent.
All major spieces have seen a substantial drop in exports in April and May. Some have seen major drop, as with black pepper, 3,000 tonnes valued at Rs 47.5 cr, against 5,580 tonnes, worth Rs 92 cr last year this time.
A big fall in US imports of black pepper, at 950 tonnes, compared to 2,000 tonnes in April-May last year was the main reason.
Export of chilli, the largest item in the export basket, has decreased by 48 per cent in volume and 34 per cent in value in these two months, 26,000 tonnes worth Rs 159.7 crore against 50,275 tonnes worth Rs 242 cr of exports in April-May 2008. The Spices Board says the decline is mainly due to the absence of Pakistan from the market. In April–May of 2008-09, Pakistan had imported 20,000 tonnes of chilli from India.
Another setback is in the value-added segments, mainly in spice oils and oleoresins. In this segment, India has more than 80 per cent of the global market. During these two months, export of spice oils and oleoresins has dropped to 1,075 tonnes valued at Rs 111.8 cr, against 1,450 tonnes valued at Rs 136.9 cr last year.
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In 2008-09, spice oils and oleoresins recorded an all-time high in volume and value terms; export was 6,850 tonnes valued at Rs 720.5 cr against 6,600 tonnes valued at Rs 563 cr in the previous fiscal, an increase of 28 per cent in value and 4 per cent in volume.
Curry powder/paste recorded nil growth in April and May, at 2,350 tonnes valued at Rs 283 cr. The export of curry powder during 2008-09 had, again, been an all-time high in terms of quantity and value.
Turmeric and coriander have recorded an increase, while nutmeg and mace have seen a sharp one.Around 9,250 tonnes of coriander valued at Rs 475 cr, up by 22 per cent and 3 per cent, respectively, in volume and value, were shipped in these two months.
Turmeric recorded a 17 per cent increase in quantity and 82 per cent in value, at 10,500 tonnes valued at Rs 64.5 cr against 9,010 tonnes valued at Rs 35.4 cr. The sharpest increase of 592 per cent in volume and 459 per cent in value was recorded in nutmeg and mace, at 450 tonnes valued at Rs 11.4 crore, against 65 tonnes valued at Rs 2 cr in April–May 2008-09.