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12 pc drop in Q1 spices export

G.K. Nair

KOCHI, July 24

SPICES exports have declined by 12 per cent both in terms of quantity and value during the first quarter of the current fiscal compared to the same period a year ago.

Total exports during April-June 2001 stood at 59,840 tonnes valued at Rs 406.08 crore as against 67,668 tonnes worth Rs 460.02 crore during the same period in 2000, Mr K. Kannan, Director (Marketing), Spices Board, told Business Line on Tuesday. However , exports of value-added products such as mint oil had increased and it could help reduce the difference in terms of value, he pointed out.

Though pepper exports increased marginally in terms of quantity during the period, there was a 39 per cent drop in value terms. During the quarter, 7,700 tonnes (6,198 t) valued at Rs 82.40 crore (Rs 135.07 crore) were exported. However, exports of carda mom (both small and large), ginger, cumin, aniseed, bishops weed, dill seed, poppy seed, mustard etc, mint oil and spices oleoresins and other oils had gone up.

Exports of mint oil had gone up to 975 tonnes (675 t) valued at Rs 34.94 crore (Rs 21.76 crore) during the quarter.

Similarly, 950 tonnes of spice oleoresins and other oils valued at Rs 95.78 crore (Rs 89.44 crore) were exported during the quarter.

The share of mint oil and spices oleoresins and other oils in the total exports during the first quarter stood at over 30 per cent with Rs 130.72 crore out of the total exports earning of Rs 406.08 crore.

There was a sharp fall in the export of garlic which fell to 700 tonnes (2,465 t) valued at Rs 1.26 crore (Rs 3.39 crore). Similar was the drop in other spices: such as tamarind, asafoetida, cinnamon, cassica, kokam, saffron etc, coriander and chilli. Th e decline was attributed to the availability from other producing countries at lower prices. Exports of coriander dropped to 1,950 tonnes (3,589 t) valued at Rs 5.83 crore (Rs 10.50 crore).

For the current fiscal, Mr Kannan said, the export target for spices had been set at 2,50,000 tonnes valued at Rs 1,700 crore. Of this, the target of the value-added spices was Rs 612 crore.