Agri Business

India’s spices production on a steady rise: Director General, ICAR

Our Bureau Kochi | Updated on February 09, 2021 Published on February 09, 2021

India's spices production along with other horticultural crops is witnessing a steady increase, enabling the country to garner $3 billion revenue annually, Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education & Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has said.

The country is producing about 9 million tonnes of spices annually and he lauded the R&D activities in the spices sector for driving the growth in production, processing, marketing, value addition and exports.

Mohapatra was speaking at the virtual event of the inaugural session of the four-day international symposium — Symsac X, hosted by the Indian Society for Spices.

Quoting international research papers, he said the Covid-19 infection rate is lower in countries where the spices consumption rate is higher. He also emphasised the need for popularising bio-fortified spices and other crop varieties for improving productivity and for addressing malnutrition. He also highlighted the importance of contract farming to improve farmers’ income.

The symposium on Spices as Flavours, Fragrances and Functional Foods with participants from across the globe can share their expertise and experience to help India prepare better for spice cultivation, marketing and export, he added.

Speaking on the role of spices in food and neutraceutical systems, Vikramaditya Pandey, Assistant Director General (HS-I), ICAR, expressed the hope that export performance of spices sector would further improve in the post-Covid period.

Rattan Lal Director, Professor of Ohio State University, and winner of World Food Prize, delivered the keynote address on Carbon sequestration for nutritional security.

Sugandha Bharathi award for outstanding contributions in spices research was presented to P N Ravindranby J Rema, Director of IISR. Sugandhasree Innovative farmer award for T Joseph was also given away at the function.

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Published on February 09, 2021
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