 "Spices Board aims to turn growers into marketers")
In a statement, the board said, it will provide slots to farmers and farmer groups to participate in the major national and international shows in India to showcase its products. It will also provide opportunity to meet upcountry spice merchants and traders.
The board is focusing on cardamom, cloves and nutmeg in the forthcoming AHAR International Trade Fair being organised in New Delhi, from March 14 to March 18. During the India International Trade Fair held in Delhi during November last year, around 20 representatives from different cardamom grower organisations had participated and interacted with upcountry merchants and traders.
The interactions are expected to culminate in trade contacts and the big margins middlemen are reaping could be reaped by farmers. The upcountry markets are selling these spices at much higher prices irrespective of the price fluctuations in the producing centres.
The board has also invited top merchants to the stand for direct one-to-one interaction with the farmers. The stand will also showcase the different culinary applications of these spices to educate the public on its varied uses.
The board has extended invitation to the farmer groups in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Similar efforts will be taken up in the coming months in fairs in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Sikkim. The board also informed that farmers and farmers' association could contact them for assistance.