 "Adulteration, pesticides pose threat to India's global standing in spices")
While India has 45 per cent in the global market for spices, a rising number of cases regarding adulteration and excess pesticide are posing a threat to our standing.
Several importing countries have already raised complaints on quality and mixing, especially in jeera (cumin), chilli and pepper. Bhaskar Shah, chairman, Indian Spice and Foodstuff Exporters' Association (ISFEA), said: “If pesticide and adulteration are not tackled by strict action from both government and industry, we will lost our market.” Many importing countries have already warned India to serve quality products and tighten the rules or lose business. Spices Board India data shows exports increased by 25 per cent in 2012-13 but by only nine per cent in 2014-15.
“It is true that adulteration and pesticide issues are major aspects governing the food industry and trade market. All importing countries have their own stringent food laws and regulations to ensure the safety and health of their citizens and exporters have to abide by these," said A Jayathilak, chairman, Spices Board India.
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Our spices, he says, have had continuous demand till now, owing to superior quality; also, India has been able to maintain its image by taking rapid action on alerts from importing countries.
Especially in America, Europe and Japan, regulatory control of imported spices has become stricter, with extremely low maximum residue limits imposed for pesticides, mycotoxins and for microbiological contamination. These are applicable to all countries that export spices; India is one of the biggest in the segment.
Jayathilak says, "The food standards, guidelines and codes of practices on imported items are different for each country. Hence, Indian exporters face an immense challenge.”
The Board says it has established seven state-of-the-art laboratories at major export locations. Second, it has implemented mandatory testing programmes covering the major food safety issues (presence of pesticide residues, mycotoxins and illegal dyes) in export of spices. And, the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in analysis of pesticide residues and microbiological contamination is in progress at the Board's laboratory in Mumbai.
The industry believes more is needed from the government side, apart from within themselves. “Adulteration and pesticides are the major concern. So far, importing countries have not taken major steps for India, other than tightening the rules. If we will not deliver quality products, it could be a big threat,” said Yogesh Mehta, managing director of Spicexim.
Recently, traders and exporters met to discuss remedial measures. To reduce the pesticide problem in spices, the industry plans to collaborate with farmers and appoint scientists to educate them. Traders and exporters have also come together to form a Seed and Spice Stakeholder Association (SSSA).
Ashwin Nayak, a director on the board of SSSA, said: “We are now going to form special task force on adulteration. We'll soon meet for that.”
Says Jayathilak, “The issue has to be communicated to all stakeholders and the reform for production of clean and safe spices has to begin from the basic level of industry.”
The Board is also keen on organic farming in spice cultivation. It has various scheme heads in this regard, on ginger, turmeric, herbal spices, seed spices and chillies, providing help to farmers for obtaining organic certification. Quality improvement training programmes for farmers are being conducted in all regions.
