The Hindu Business Line : Eastern Condiments sets up hi-tech lab for testing spices

EASTERN Condiments Pvt Ltd, part of the Rs 130-crore Eastern Group, has set up a hi-tech laboratory at an investment of Rs 75 lakh to test health hazards in packaged condiments and spices.

The full-fledged laboratory is meant fordeveloping new products, which will soon hit the market. The company, apart from concentrating on the South Indian market, is taking steps to have a national presence by introducing recipes of various regions. A pilot plant would be set up within one month to launch various ready-to-cook products, Mr M. E. Meeran, Chairman, Eastern Group, told reporters.

He said the new lab with the latest equipment such as Unique Plus, Luminator, HPLC and GC would help in finding out artificial colours such as Sudan 1, the level of toxins, pungency, pesticide residues and the microbial load in raw materials within a short span of time. The laboratory complex consists of microbial, chemical, instrumentation and product development divisions.

To procure high quality raw materials for manufacturing masalas, the company has entered into contract farming with farmers in Andhra Pradesh, the Chairman said.

On the financial performance of the company, the Vice-Chairman of the Group, Mr Navas Meeran, said its turnover was expected to touch Rs 175 crore in this fiscal ending March as against last year's figure of Rs 130 crore. The anticipated turnover for the next three years would be 30 per cent and was expected to reach Rs 300 crore, he added.

Eastern Condiments had garnered an export revenue of Rs 15 crore in the current fiscal ending February by exporting 1,650 tonnes of products to Gulf countries, the US, the UK and Australia. Around 40 containers were expected to be stuffed this financial year, he added.

Earlier, speaking at the inaugural function of the new laboratory, the Spices Board Chairman, Mr C. J. Jose, urged Eastern Condiments to venture into marketing branded spice products in the premium market in the US.

The Spices Board had received necessary approval from the Union Government to market branded spice products in a premium market in the US, he said, adding that promotional expenses for marketing these products would be borne by the Board.

According to Mr Jose, the strict quality check initiated by the Board on various spice products has recently resulted in the doubling of exports from the country.

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Eastern Condiments sets up hi-tech lab for testing spices