Spice exports jump 19 per cent

The country exported 318,635 tonnes of spices worth Rs 3,155 crore ($781.07 million) during April-December of the current financial year, registering a growth of 19 per cent in volume and 23 per cent in value.

It has so far achieved 84 per cent of the 380,000-tonne target set by the Spices Board for the ongoing financial year. In value term, 88 per cent of the Rs 3,600-crore ($875 million) target has been achieved.

While exports of chilli, black pepper, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, mint products, and curry powder and paste have risen during the nine-month period, those of garlic, cardamom (small), cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, mace and celery have declined sharply. Value-added products such as curry powder, spice oils and oleoresins have also performed better this year.

According to a Spices Board estimate, 18,500 tonnes of coriander (valued at Rs 75.41 crore) was shipped during the period against 15,080 tonnes (Rs 55.35 crore) showing 23 per cent increase in volume and 36 per cent in value.

The rise was attributed to drop in supply from Eastern European countries such as Romania and Bulgaria, where coriander crop suffered due to drought conditions.

The exports of fennel increased by 46 per cent to 3,850 tonnes (Rs 21.16 crore). In value-term, the rise was 21 per cent. Fenugreek shipment rose to 8,750 tonnes (Rs 25.36 crore) during April-December against 5,965 tonnes (Rs 19.11 crore) a year ago.

Mint product exports rose 16 per cent to 14,250 tonnes (Rs 888.95 crore, up 9 per cent), curry powder and paste went up by 20 per cent to 8,400 tonnes (Rs 82.18 crore). Shipments of spice oils and oleoresins edged up 2 per cent to 4,800 tonnes (Rs 402.93 crore).

Mint products together with spice oils and oleoresins accounts for 41 per cent of the country's total export earnings from spices. Meanwhile, garlic exports dropped sharply by 95 per cent to 540 tonnes during the period against 11,070 tonnes in April-December previous year.

Exports earnings dropped to Rs 3.17 crore from Rs 19.97 crore, registering a steep fall of 84 per cent. Nutmeg and mace shipments plummeted by 24 per cent to 1,100 tonnes while that of cardamom (small) fell by 28 per cent to 290 tonnes.

Cumin seed exports also fell to 18,000 tonnes against 21,175 tonnes a year ago. However, earnings from cumin exports rose 16 per cent to Rs 191.47 crore. Turmeric exports dropped by 8 per cent at 36,500 tonnes. The decline was 13 per cent in value to Rs 112.06 crore.