The Hindu Business Line : Spices Board launches initiative to improve produce quality

THE Spices Board, as part of its efforts to ensure production and export of better quality spices, has initiated several measures such as integrated pest management and organic production of spices.

Integrated pest management (IPM) relied on biological control and limited use of chemical pesticides and it was being encouraged among spice farmers, Mr S. Kannan, Director, Marketing of the Board, told Business Line.

He said IPM programmes for chillies were already under implementation in 60 villages in Andhra Pradesh. The UNDP project had proved that reducing the number of sprays from 20-22 rounds during the a crop period of eight to nine months to a maximum of 10 rounds could reduce the cost of cultivation by 30 to 35 per cent. The net farm income in such cases increased by 40 to 50 per cent as the farmer fetched better price for residue-free chillies, he pointed out.

Organic production of spices is also being encouraged. A number of farmers' groups engaged in organic production of spices are already certified. As part of this programme, major international certifying agencies have been accredited and operating in the country now.

The Board, he said, had already implemented programme to modernise post-harvest management. A pilot solar dryer for chillies had been commissioned in Guntur. This ensures uninterrupted drying of chilli in a 10-hour cycle and prevents development of aflatoxin usually associated with conventional drying. More such units would be set up shortly, he said.

The Board has also banned distribution, sale and use of ethion in the major chilli growing areas in Andhra Pradesh.

Mr Kannan said as an additional confidence-building measure, the Board had introduced mandatory sampling of all export consignments of chilli and chilli products being exported to all destinations for analysis there of in the Board's laboratory for the presence of Sudan Red-1 and Aflatoxin.

From November 7, 2003 to April 15, 2004, out of 1,878 samples received 1,824 were analysed and the results were "negative".