Exports of spices and spice products rose 16 per cent in value terms and three per cent in volume terms (to 391,560 tonnes) during April-December 2010.
The exports were valued at Rs 4,880.56 crore ($1,070.10 million) as against the last year’s figure of Rs 4,222.56 crore ($882.33 million) — a 21 per cent increase in dollar terms, according to the latest Spices Board data.
There was a slowdown in value terms till November with only a six per cent rise, while there was a 15 per cent increase in voulme. During April-October, there was a 13 per cent increase in value and six per cent in volume terms.
The first half of the financial year recorded an increase of 8.1 per cent in volume and 15.7 per cent in value terms. In volume terms, it means India suffered a serious setback on the cumulative performance in the first nine months of 2010-11, in spite of a substantial increase in value terms. December saw exports of 29,910 tonnes valued at Rs 559.68 crore.
Compared to the export target of 465,000 tonnes valued at Rs 5,100 crore for financial year 2010-11, the achievement of 391,560 tonnes valued at Rs 4,880.56 crore during the period is 84 per cent in terms of quantity and 96 per cent in rupees (95 per cent in dollar value) terms.
During April-December, exports of chilli, ginger, fennel and garlic showed an increase both in volume and value. The exports of value-added products, spice oils and oleoresin also rose as compared to the corresponding period last year.
However, exports of pepper, cardamom (large), turmeric, mint products and other spices like tamarind and asafoetida could register an increase only in value terms.
Spices like like cardamom(small), coriander, cumin, celery, fenugreek, nutmeg and mace, and other seed spices like mustard, aniseed and ajwanseed declined both in volume and value terms
During the period, the export of spice oils and oleoresins has increased to 5,275 tonnes valued at Rs 641.40 crore from 5,200 tonnes at Rs 546.77 crore of last year.
About 14,000 tonnes of pepper valued at Rs 266.25 crore was exported during the period, against 15,425 tones valued at Rs 243.27 crore last year — a fall of nine per cent in volume terms.
