Spices export rises 20%

Chilli registers a whopping 56 per cent growth in Apr-Nov.

Spices export from India has increased by 20 per cent at 286,302 tonnes during the April-November period of the current financial year compared with 238,334 tonnes in the same period last year.

The country's export earnings for the period stood at Rs 2,840.65 crore against Rs 2,255.13 crore last year, registering a growth of 26 per cent.

Chilli registered a whopping 56 per cent export growth at 128,000 tonnes against 82,221 tonnes during the corresponding period of 2006-07. Earnings from chilli exports rose by 64 per cent to Rs 696.36 crore.

Interestingly, India has already achieved 95 per cent of the total export target fixed for the 2007-08 period, and value realisation has surpassed the target of Rs 675 crore. 
 

WHAT'S HOT Spices exports in tonnes
Exports	2006-07	2007-08	% chg
Spices	2,38,334	2,86,302	20
Chilli	82,221	1,28,000	56
Coriander	13,625	17,000	25
Ginger	5,218	5,725	10
Earnings (Rs cr)	2,255.13	2,840.65	26
Period for April to November

In all spices exports, India has achieved 75 per cent of the target of 380,000 tonnes set for FY 07-08. The country faced a grave set back on garlic exports, which dropped 96 per cent in quantity and 86 per cent in value.

The country managed to send only 480 tonnes valued at Rs 2.72 crore against 11,007 tonnes valued at Rs 19.65 crore exported during the same period last year.

The country had the advantage in chilli exports during the period as main rivals such as China were not active in the global market due to production constraints.

Though production in China picked up by November, India had an edge over other exporting countries in terms of quality.

Malaysia was the largest buyer of Indian chilli, followed by other traditional buyers such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the USA.

Stringent quality measures implemented by the Spices Board such as mandatory sampling and analysis for the presence of aflatoxin and adulterant sudan in export consignments of chilli have made the Indian product more acceptable in the international markets.

Meanwhile, coriander registered 25 per cent export growth at 17,000 tonnes valued at Rs 68.36 crore against 13,625 tonnes valued at Rs 49.93 crore during the April-November period of 2006-07.

Pepper exports were up by 32 per cent at 24,250 tonnes, earning Rs 351 crore, a value increase of 93 per cent. Nearly 81 per cent of the Spices Board's pepper export target of 30,000 tonnes has already been met in the current financial year.

While exports of mint products, curry powder and paste, fennel and fenugreek have scaled up, cardamom (small), turmeric and cumin performed badly during the period. Vanilla exports, which increased by 26 per cent in quantity, showed a 29 per cent drop in value.

Nutmeg and mace export has also registered a drop of 20 per cent at 1,020 tonnes, valued at Rs 22.04 crore. Ginger exports increased by 10 per cent at 5,725 tonnes against 5218 tonnes during the same period last year.

Around 4,300 tonnes of spice oils and oleoresins valued at Rs 361.68 crore have been shipped against 4,253 tonnes valued at Rs 354.10 crore last year.

Export of seed spices such as mustard, aniseed, bishop's weed (Ajwanseed), dill seed and poppy seed has shown a drop of 19 per cent at 5000 tonnes, while earnings have improved by 5 per cent at Rs 17.31 crore.