Guatemela imports to be curbed to control prices

CARDAMOM: To double spice exports to $1 bn per annum in 5 yrs.

The Union government will look to curb the import of cardamom from Guatemala through Nepal as this has seriously affected the pricing of the product in domestic markets.

"I have already discussed the issue with the director of intelligence and the government will take it up very seriously. Indian cardamom is facing fierce competition with the advent of the product from Guatemala like it happened during the latter half of the 1990s. The ministry has noticed that very large quantities are coming through the borders of Nepal and we will address the issue seriously," said Jairam Ramesh, minister of state for commerce.

The country plans to double spice exports to $1 billion per annum in the next five years, Ramesh said. The Spices Board is preparing a report in this regard, he added.

The board has identified West Asian countries as the main export market. To further the plan an exhibition of Indian spices and spice products will be held at Dubai in October.

India has potential to emerge as the global hub for reprocessing and export of spices and spice products.

"Currently, almost 60 per cent of India's spice export comprise processed spices.We could develop the domain expertise for greater share in global market," he said.

He announced that an electronic auction system would be implemented for cardamom trading.

V J Kurien, chairman, Spices Board, added that the system would be implemented in all the seven auction centres in the border areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Steps have already been initiated to introduce the system by the next harvesting season.

The minister said that re-planting is also a problem in the cultivation of cardamom. According to latest reports 3,000 hectares would be re-planted every year for the next 15 years.

This has led to an impressive growth in cardamom productivity from 70 kg a hectare 15 years back to 230 kg now.

However, lacune still exists on the marketing side of cardamom and other spices. A professional agency would be soon engaged for marketing Indian spices both in the country and abroad.