The Hindu Business Line : Spices exports target fixed at Rs 2,000 cr

The Ministry has approved an export target of 2,50,000 tonnes in volume for 2004-05, as against the previous year's 2,51,030 tonnes, valued at Rs 1,900 crore. Last financial year, exports surpassed the target by Rs 5.08 crore, though they were Rs 181.63 crore lower than the 2002-03 fiscal, when it stood at Rs 2,086.71 crore.

This fiscal, the target for value-added products such as spice oils and oleoresins, mint products, curry powder and vanilla has been raised, Mr S. Kannan, Director, Marketing, Spices Board, told Business Line. During April 2004, exports of value-added had almost doubled from the previous year.

"This increase is mainly because of the big jump in chilli, which could be offered at a fairly competitive price," according to Mr Ramkumar Menon, Chairman, All India Spices Exporters Forum.

He said poor crop in China had compelled the buyers to turn towards India. Added to this, he said, some problems in October/November last with the coriander crop in major growing countries such as Bulgaria and Romania also forced buyers to turn to India.

As the country is a major consumer of coriander, only 4-5 per cent of its total production was available for export, he said. In fact, in the case of almost all the spices except celery "we are able to export only 5-10 per cent of the total production as the domestic market easily absorbs the rest."

The target for turmeric has also been raised. Turmeric exports jumped to 5,000 tonnes in April 2004 from 2,000 tonnes in April last year. He said India still maintained a monopoly in turmeric with its qualitatively superior product.

Export of value-added products such as spice oils and oleoresins, curry powder, which had declined in 2003-04, had also shown improvement so far this year.

"If the current trend persisted we would be able to cross the target in 2004-05 also," Mr Kannan added.

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