World Spice Organisation launched in Kochi

The World Spice Organisation (WSO), a common platform for all stakeholders in the spice sector – the farmers, processors, researchers and end users – came into existence at Kochi on Monday. The need to educate farmers and the industry on healthy and responsible practices, and sustaining development in the sector brought about the organisation.

WSO also sought to identify areas of potential growth, ensure proper allocation of resources, interact with the research organisation, engage with the government on legislations and stand by and help the farmers increase production and productivity by implementing the universally accepted good agricultural practices. Moreover, the WSO was also expected to take care of the various road blocks in the development of global trade in spices.

At the launch press conference, the Chairman of WSO, Mr Phillip Kuruvilla, the Executive Director, Mr Ramkumar Menon, and the Treasurer, Mr Jojan Malayil, offered membership to Mr Periah, a chilli farmer from Andhra Pradesh. This was followed by the enrolment of Flavourit, the trading company launched by the Spices Board. The WSO will be assisting the field publicity programmes of the Spices Board to enhance its reach to the rural farming population, Mr Phillip Kuruvilla said.

To enable the spice industry in dealing with issues relating to “food safety and sustainability” the WSO planned to work with its members in undertaking social responsibility programmes so that they can benefit as a whole and enable them to meet the challenges that they faced. As a commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, the WSO planned to launch several private-public-participation projects.

With backward linkages to the farming community, the WSO is committed to be a global organisation, become the nodal point for spice organisation across countries and enable them in meeting the global food safety and sustainability in herbs and spices. It would also strive to fulfil the CSR by connecting the global spice industry through unity of thought and harmonisation in standards.

WSO also planned to work with organisations such as UNCTAD, WTO, Codex, FAO and ITC and solicit their support in implementing programmes in food safety and sustainability. The organisation also pointed out that food safety and sustainability should start from the farm. It was deemed necessary to coordinate the role of various institutions with all the stakeholders and the industry in order to increase productivity and reduce the use of harmful agrochemicals.

The WSO has drawn up a strategy for 2011-12 whereby the organisation would work with national associations and governments to uplift the rural farmers through theirthe right programmes.

It also plans to inform the farmers and processors in the spice growing nations of the consuming nations' concerns and work towards setting realistic food safety standards. This would be assisted by harmonising of the testing standards and their methods for the spices industry.

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