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Union Minister of State for Commerce Nirmala Seetharaman has emphasised the need to promote spices domestically, considering the growing local demand.
She also called for a composite approach for promotion of spices as many of the regions in the North-East are doing very well in growing spices. “It is important to put our energies into developing this discreet but all pervasive market in India,” she said while launching the composite promotion for spices organised by the Spices Board here on Friday.
The Ministry, she said, is making all out efforts for the promotion of spices, not only in Kerala but in other regions. She assured that farmers and spice growers would be given equal importance in getting a fair price for their produce.
On pepper imports, the Minister said the Commerce Ministry would take a comprehensive look at the problems in pepper production, as increased imports would affect farmers’ produce.
The Minister also unveiled composite promotion for spices, including promotional films on spices, a coffee table book on spices, and a tagline for branding Indian cuisine — Indian Cuisine Symphony of Spices.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the decline in pepper production was a matter of concern and it had prompted the country to go in for imports. This was disappointing, he said, and called upon all the Government agencies to take appropriate measures to revive pepper production.
Besides pepper, small-scale farmers were reluctant to take up ginger and turmeric farming. The Spices Board should come up with programmes to encourage production of these commodities. This would help improve the State’s economy, he added.
A. Jayathilak, Chairman, Spices Board, said the composite promotion of spices and promotion of Indian cuisine would portray the prominence of India in the global spice fraternity by showcasing the intrinsic flavours of Indian spices. The campaign was aimed at enhancing goodwill for Indian cuisine and spices and catalyse realisation of better prices by spice farmers.
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