India is known as the home of spices and boasts of a long history of trading with the ancient civilizations of Rome and China. Indian spices are the most sought-after globally, given their exquisite aroma, texture, and taste. India has the largest domestic market for spices in the world.
Of the 109 varieties of spices listed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the country produces more than 65. The varying climatic conditions in India provide ample scope for the cultivation of a variety of spices. Almost all Indian states produce spices, with the total area under spice cultivation pegged at around 3.15 million hectares.
India commands a formidable position in the world spice trade.
During 2015-16, India exported 8,43,255 tons of spices and spice products valued at Rs.16,238.23 crore (US$ 2,482.83 million). Exports grew by 9% in terms of rupees and 2% in terms of US dollars. This has exceeded the target of 808,000 tons in quantity and Rs.14,014.00 crore (US$ 2,26 million) in terms of value by 104% in terms of volume and 116% in rupee and 110% in terms of US dollar in terms of value. The US is the major importer of Indian spices by value followed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, UAE, UK, Germany, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia. Exports to the US stood at Rs 23,523.79 million followed by China at Rs 16289.68 million in 2013-14.
The spice export basket consists of whole spices, organic, spice mixes, spice blends, freeze-dried, curry powders/mixtures, oleoresins, extracts, essential oils, de-hydrated, spice in brine and other value-added products.
Why India?
- India is a prominent producer of different spice oils and oleoresins from spices of various grades.
- During the course of time, India has been successfully manufacturing and exporting value-added spice products
- There are stringent quality control measures in place, including pre-shipment inspection, validation of quality checks, and mandatory inspection by the Spices Board.
- There are strict checks on physical, chemical, and microbial parameters including pesticide residues, aflatoxins, heavy metals, and other contaminants/adulterants.
- Over the years, the Indian spice community has evolved and matured as a technology-led, quality-conscious, customer-centric, and market-driven industry. This makeover has led to a rapidly growing variety of value-added spices in-ground, crushed, cracked, blended, dehydrated forms in bulk, in brine and in consumer packs (curry mixes, natural food colors, spice extracts, mint oils, menthol crystals, menthol powder, and several space-based industrial raw materials). Indian spice oils and oleoresins continue to dominate the international processed food market.
- Breakthrough technological developments are throwing open immense potential and possibilities in every realm, almost every day. Harnessing the technological developments, Indian spices have unleashed their inherent potential and are spreading their wellness, healthy goodness, and application capabilities to a wide spectrum of industry verticals like curry blends, pharma industries, medical applications, and industrial applications.
- In recent years, organic farming has gained considerable importance. The spices produced from this type of farming are without any harmful ingredients. Organic farming ensures that the spices keep their inherent taste, aroma, and other health benefits intact. The exports of spices have been significantly increased due to the major shift of farming practices to organic methods.
Spice Parks
Major consuming countries of Indian spices like America and members of the EU have strict quality compliance norms. Indian exporters have been successful in complying with such strict quality stipulations with the help of various quality improvement programs initiated by the Spices Board. The Board has launched special industrial parks for processing and value addition of spices and spice products called spices parks. The spices are regionally divided with a very well-conceived approach with integrated operations for cultivation, post-harvesting, processing for value addition, packaging, storage, and exports of spices and spice products that adhere to the quality specifications of the consuming countries.
The basic objective behind the conceptualization of the spice parks has been the provision of common infrastructural facilities for both post-harvest activities and the processing of spices and spice products along with backward integration by providing rural employment. The spice parks have processing facilities which are at par with international standards where the products undergo cleaning, grading, sorting, grinding, packing and warehousing. Educative services are also provided to the farming and trading communities at the park. Training programs providing information on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), post-harvest operations, advanced processing practices, global food safety, and quality standards are disseminated to farmers. The spice parks ensure better pricing for the products as they help in shortening the channels in the supply chain system. Farmers can utilize the facilities provided at the spice parks to help them improve the quality of their products and sell directly to the exporters.
The spice parks which are under the aegis of the Spices Board are:
Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh)
Puttady (Kerala)
Jodhpur (Rajasthan)
Guna (Madhya Pradesh)
Guntur (Andhra Pradesh)
Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu)
Kota (Rajasthan)
Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh)
The spices processing market in India has seen an increase in volumes, owing to the huge global demand for processed Indian spices such as oleoresins and seasonings, primarily from the UAE, the US, the European Union and the Asia-Pacific. The demand for oleoresins and seasonings has led many players to focus on research and technology to manufacture innovative products.
Quality Measures
Since quality is an important parameter for the export of Indian spices, the Spices Board established the Quality Evaluation Laboratory in 1989 for monitoring the quality of spices produced and processed in the country. The laboratory provides analytical services to the Indian spice industry, including analysis of samples collected for compulsory inspection on chilies, chili products, and turmeric powder for exports. The laboratory at Kochi has certifications from the British Standards Institution, UK for ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System since 1997, ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System since 1999 and Accredited under the National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL) (under the ISO/IEC: 17025:2005) in 2004. The activities of the laboratory are fully computerized and linked with the network since 1999. The laboratory has three divisions including a chemistry lab, residue lab, and microbiology lab which undertake speedy and efficient handling of the analysis as per the various parameters.
The various quality standards which are applicable are BIS, FSSAI, AGMARK, ASTA, ESA. The regional quality evaluation laboratories established across the country are as follows:
| Laboratory (Year of establishment) |
| Mumbai, Maharashtra (2008) |
| Guntur, Andhra Pradesh (2010) |
| Gummidipoondi, Tamil Nadu (2011) |
| Narela, New Delhi (2012) |
| Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu (2013) |
Codex Alimentarius Commission
The Codex Alimentarius Commission is responsible for the establishment of sound internationally agreed guidelines for national food control systems based on the criteria of consumer health protection and fair trade practices by taking into consideration the needs and special concerns of all countries. It provides member nations with a forum where they can meet and exchange ideas and information relevant to food safety and trade issues in order to elaborate food standards to facilitate international trade.
The key issues pertaining to Codex are:
- National Food Control System
- Private Standards
- Ractopamine
- Equivalence
- Labeling of Genetically Modified Foods
- Nutritional Labelling
- Exports
Measures to boost the export of Spices
Spices Board has implemented several export development/promotion programs, which include the adoption of upgraded technology in spice processing, setting up of quality evaluation labs by the exporters, quality certification, packaging development, and barcoding, product development, and research for high-end value addition, sending business samples abroad, setting up of common sterilization units and participation in international fairs/meetings/seminars. Spices Parks are also in the process of being established for providing common infrastructure facilities for cleaning, grading, processing, packing, storing, primarily to promote value addition and quality improvement of spices, along with backward linkages.
12th Plan schemes of Spices Board
Under the 12th Plan, the Spices Board is focusing its initiatives towards the following broad areas:
- Export Oriented Production and Post-harvest Improvement.
- Export Development and Promotion.
- Export Oriented Research.
- Quality Improvement
- Spices Parks
TOP EXPORTERS
| EXPORTER | Year | Award |
|---|---|---|
| SYNTHITE INDUSTRIES LIMITED Synthite Valley Kolencherry Kerala-682311 Tele: 0484 3051200 Email: mailto:jimmy@synthite.com |
2009-10 | Award-Top most exporters for Spice Oil & Oleoresin |
| 2010-11 | Award-Oil & Oleoresin | |
| 2011-12 | Trophy- SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS | |
| 2011-12 | Rolling Trophy- SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS | |
| JABS INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD A 350, TTC Industrial Area MIDC, Mahape Navi Mumbai-400708 Maharashtra Tel: 91 22 27781201, Fax: 9122 27781205 Email: mailto:jabs@vsnl.com, |
2009-10 | Award -for Topmost Exporter of Cumin Cumin |
| 2009-10 | Trophy- for Topmost Exporters of spices/SPICE PRODUCTS | |
| 2009-10 | Rolling Trophy- SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS | |
| 2009-10 | Trophy- for Topmost Exporters of Whole Spices | |
| 2010-11 | Award -for Topmost Exporter Cumin | |
| 2010-11 | Trophy- for Topmost Exporter SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS | |
| 2010-11 | Trophy- for Topmost Exporter Whole Spices | |
| 2010-11 | Rolling Trophy- for Topmost Exporter SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS | |
| 2011-12 | Award -for Topmost Exporter Cumin | |
| 2011-12 | Award for Topmost Exporter -Other Seeds & misc spices | |
| 2011-12 | Trophy- for Topmost Exporter Whole Spices | |
| A.V.T. MC CORMICK INGREDIENTS PVT.LTD AVT McCormick Ingredients PVT LTD South Vazhakulam, Marampilly PO, Aluva-683107 Tele: 0484 677262, 263, Fax: 0484 677275, 282 |
2009-10 | Award- for Topmost ExporterGinger |
| 2009-10 | Trophy- for Topmost Exporter Ground Spices | |
| 2010-11 | Award-for Topmost Exporter Ginger | |
| 2010-11 | Trophy- for Topmost Exporter of Ground Spices | |
| 2010-11 | Certificate of Merit | |
| 2011-12 | Award-for Topmost Exporter of Ginger | |
| 2011-12 | Trophy-for Topmost Exporter of Ground Spices | |
| BAFNA ENTERPRISES VII/179, DS Road, Cochin- 682002 Tel: 0484 2227190, 2227803, 2228451 Fax: 0484 2225834 Email: mailto:mail@bafnaenterprises.com |
2009-10 | Award for Topmost Exporter of-Pepper |
| 2010-11 | Award-for Topmost Exporter of Pepper | |
| KISHOR SPICES COMPANY VI/37, JEW TOWN, P.O. BOX NO.262 COCHIN,KERALA,Pin:682 002 Phone:0484 2225111,Fax:0484-2223884 Email:kishor@md3.vsnl.net.in |
2011-12 | Award-for Topmost Exporter of Pepper |
| SPG RAMASWAMY NADAR & SONS 77/1, South Car Street Virudhunagar-626001 Tamilnadu Tel: 91 4562 243364/ 244164 Fax: 91 4562 244964 Email: mailto:spgr@eth.net, |
2009-10 | Award for Topmost Exporter of -Cardamom Small |
| 2010-11 | Award for Topmost Exporter of -Cardamom Small | |
| SHIVANDITTA MAL & COMPANY 384/VI-3, Majith Mandi Amritsar-143006 Punjab Tel: 91 183 2541677/ 2541482/ 5018416 Fax: 91 183 2548416 Email: mailto:sndhwani@vsnl.com |
2009-10 | Award-for Topmost Exporter of Cardamom Large |
| 2010-11 | Award-Cardamom Large | |
| 2011-12 | Award-for Topmost Exporter of Cardamom Large | |
| MAS ENTERPRISES LIMITED X-677, Mas Building P.B. No1. Vandanmedu Vandanmedu,Kerala Pin:682 036 Phone:04868 277077 Fax:04868 277258 Email:Mail@Masindia.Com |
2011-12 | Award-for top exporter of Cardamom Small |
| NANDYALA SATYANARAYANA Santa Market Tadepalligudem-534102 West Godavari Dist, Andhra Pradesh Tel: 91 8818 222307, 9848123229 (Mob) Fax: 91 8818 225113 Email: mailto:nkttpg@yahoo.co.in |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporter of Chilli |
| 2010-11 | Award-for top exporter of Chilli | |
| 2011-12 | Award-for top exporter of Chilli | |
| LAXMI ENTERPRISES 170/172, Samuel Street Mumbai-400009 Maharashtra Tel: 91 22 4098 5151 Fax: 91 22 2347 8728 Email: mailto:sbslaxmi@vsnl.com |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporter of Turmeric |
| 2010-11 | Award for top exporter of -Turmeric | |
| 2011-12 | Award-for top exporter of Turmeric | |
| P.C.KANNAN & CO. 133/2, Pullalakottai Road Virudhunagar-626001 Tamilnadu Tel: 91 4562-243601/245368 Fax:91 4562-244168 Email: mailto:vgr_pckannan@bsnl.in |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporter of Corriander |
| 2010-11 | Award-for top exporter of Corriander | |
| 2011-12 | Award-for top exporter of Corriander | |
| TRIMETA COMMODITIES PVT LTD 901, 9th Floor, Bartom Centre MG Road, Bangalore-560001 Tel: 080 25559325 Fax: 080 25559326 Email: mailto:trimeta@airtelmail.in |
2009-10 | Award for top exporter of -Vanilla |
| 2010-11 | Award-for top exporter of Vanilla | |
| EUROVANILLE INDIA PVT. LTD. Vadakkipalayam Road R. Poonapuram, Pollachi Coimbatore 642002 04259-200047 E.mail: drmahendranmd@gmail.com |
2011-12 | Award- for top exporter of Vanilla |
| GRK & COMPANY VII/324/A , 324/B Eramalloor, Alleppey District Kerala Tel: 0478 2562640, 0478 2565940 mailto:vishwan@md2.vsnl.net.in |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporter of Nutmeg & Mace |
| 2010-11 | Award for top exporter of -Nutmeg & Mace | |
| KANU KRISHNA CORPORATION 501 Goradia House, 100/104 Kazi Sayed Street, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400003 Phone:022 4023 7676 Email: kkcdipak@bom3.vsnl.net.in |
2011-12 | Award-for top exporter of Nutmeg & Mace |
| ASIAN FOOD INDUSTRIES NH No. 8, Opp. Escort Tractors Dabhan. Tal: Nadiad- 387320 Gujarat Tele: 0268 281241, 2581242 Fax: 0268 2581243 Email: mailto:asianfoods2002@yahoo.com |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporter of Other Seeds & misc spices |
| 2010-11 | Award for top exporter of -Other Seeds & misc spices | |
| EASTERN CONDIMENTS PVT LTD PB No. 15, Eastern Valley, Adimali PO, Idukki District Kerala- 685561 Tel: 91 4864 222206 Fax: 91 4864 225872, 222662 Email: mailto:eastern@md2.vsnl.net.in |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporter of Spice Mixes including Curry Powders |
| 2009-10 | Award-for top exporter of Spice & Spice Products in Consumer Packs | |
| 2010-11 | Award-for top exporter of Spice Mixes including Curry Powders | |
| 2010-11 | Award-for top exporter of Spice & Spice Products in Consumer Packs | |
| 2011-12 | Award-for top exporter of Spice Mixes including Curry Powders | |
| 2011-12 | Award-for top exporter ofSpice & Spice Products in Consumer Packs | |
| PHALADA AGRO RESEARCH FOUNDATIONS PVT LTD No. 92/5, Kannali, Seege Halli Cross Magadi Main Road Bangalore-560060 Tel: 91 80 28536762, 28536763, 28536764 Fax: 080 28536760 Email: mailto:info@phalladaagro.com |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporters of Organic Spices |
| BERGWERFF ORGANIC INDIA PVT. LTD Plot no. C36-38, SEZ Phase 1 Sector 3, Pithamour District Dhar 454775. Phone: 07292 420990 Fax: 022 26744903 E.mai: mailto:info@suminter.com |
2010-11 | Award-for top exporters of Organic Spices |
| 2011-12 | Award-for top exporters of Organic Spices | |
| ARYAN INTERNATIONAL 102, Emerald ‘A’ Block Wilson Manor Apartment 13th Cross, Wilson Garden, Arekempanahalli Bangalore-560027 Tel: 080 22225213 Fax: 080 22226794 Email: mailto:ace@ace-exports.com |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporters of Women Entrepreneur |
| 2010-11 | Award-for top exporters of Women Entrepreneur | |
| ARJUNA NATURAL EXTRACTS Bank Road, Aluva-683101 Tele: 0484 2622644, 2622655 Fax: 0484 2622612 Email: mailto:mail@arjunanatural.com |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporters of Innovative Spice Products |
| ARJUNA NATURAL EXTRACTS (Dr. Benny Antony) Bank Road, Aluva-683101 Tele: 0484 2622644, 2622655 Fax: 0484 2622612 Email: mailto:mail@arjunanatural.com |
2010-11 | Award for Innovator of Spice Products |
| PLANTLIPIDS (P) LTD. Kadayirippu, Kolenchery, Ernakulam Kerala 682311 Tele : +91.484.305.1500 / +91.484.276.0497 / +91.484.276.0689 email : info@plantlipids.com |
2011-12 | Award-for top exporters of Spice Oils & Oleoresins |
| INDIAN PRODUCTS 604, Queens Corner A 3 Queens Road, Bangalore- 560001 Tele: 91 80 3070 5731 Fax: 91 803070 5738 Email: mailto:seema@jayanti.com |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporters of Value Added Spices |
| 2010-11 | Award-for top exporters of Value Added Spices | |
| HERBAL ISOLATES PVT LTD. Puthencruz, Vadavucode Ernakulam 682310, Kerala, India Telephone : +91 – 484 – 2731596, 2730069. Fax : +91 – 484 – 2730596 email : herbal@herbalisolates.com |
2011-12 | Award- for top exporters of Value Added Spices |
| M D ABDUL HAMID Kanishal Village, Kanishal P.O. Karimganj District Assam 788711 Tel: 03843 2602660 Fax: 03843 262890 Mob: 0943553894 |
2009-10 | Award-for top exporters of SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS from NE Region |
| JAMIR UDDIN Masjid Road Karimganj-788711 Assam |
2010-11 | Award-for top exporters of SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS from NE Region |
| 2011-12 | Award-for top exporters of SPICES/SPICE PRODUCTS from NE Region |