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G.K. Nair

Kochi , Aug. 26

SPICES exports during April-July have exceeded 50 per cent of the target set for the current fiscal in volume, while in terms of value it has crossed one-third of it.

Total exports during April-July stood at 1,31,274 tonnes valued at Rs 770.19 crore as against the target of 2,50,000 tonne valued at Rs 2,000 crore for the fiscal, Mr S. Kannan, Director (Marketing), Spices Board, told Business Line. If the current trend continues, the exports could exceed the target, he said.

Exports of chilli continued to rise substantially with 51,000 tonne valued at Rs 186.49 crore being shipped as against the target of 75,000 tonne valued at Rs 315 crore. All the items, except five, have registered an increase during this period.

Exports of turmeric went up to 16,500 tonne valued at Rs 61.80 crore from 10,250 tonne worth Rs 37.47 crore in Apr-Jul last year, while coriander exports shot up to 17,750 tonnes valued at Rs 40.10 crore from 4,250 tonne worth Rs 17.12 crore.

Other items export that have increased are: Cumin from 2,300 tonne to 6,000 tonne, celery from 1,300 tonne to 1,450 tonne, fennel from 1,275 tonne to 3,550 tonne, fenugreek from 1,950 tonne to 6,300 tonne, other seeds from 3,750 tonne to 7,500 tonne, vanilla from 6.43 tonne to 8.83 tonne, other spices from 880 tonne to 6,500 tonne. Cardamom (small) has shown a marginal increase of 40 tonne to 150 tonne from 110 tonne in April-July last year.

Value-added products such as curry powder/paste/condiments increased from 2,050 tonne to 2,750 tonne, mint products from 2,900 to 2,925 tonne and spice oil and oleoresins from 1,425 tonne to 1,950 tonne.

Pepper, which used to top the list in the past has shown decline from 6,000 tonne to 4,600 tonne.

Other items, which have dropped are cardamom (large), ginger, garlic and nutmeg.

The unit value of most of the items has dropped. However, the unit value of cured vanilla doubled during the period to Rs 21,037.25 per kg from Rs 10,455.83 per kg in Apr-Jul 2003.

Other items for which the unit value has gone up are ginger, turmeric, celery and curry powder/paste/condiments.

Attributing the rise in exports of other items to non-availability of these items such as chilli, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, other seeds etc., from other sources due to crop failure, Mr Ramkumar Menon, Chairman, All India Spices Exporters Forum said: that "Buyers have now turned towards India and we could offer these products at fairly competitive prices."

More Stories on : Spices & Condiments | Exports & Imports

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