KOCHI: SPICES Board Chairman A Jayathilak has said that cardamom production will be 30 per cent lesser in financial year 2016-17 due to the severe drought experienced in the country recently. He added that the country has produced 22,000 tonnes of small cardamom during last financial year, which is an all-time high.
A total of 5,500 tonnes of small cardamom, valued at Rs 450 crore, was exported in 2015-16, which is also a record.
He was speaking with Express in an exclusive interaction. He revealed that the board is planning to open an e-auction centre for large cardamom in Sikkim.
“Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone of Spice complex in Gangtok on April 10. The paper works for initiating the construction of the Spice complex in progressing. On finishing the construction of the Spice complex, the e-auction centre shall be set up in the complex. The project of establishment of the complex is expected to be completed within two years,” said Jayathilak.
Spices Board has started its second e-auction centre at Bodinayakanur after Puttadi during end of May.
According to him the number of cardamom auctioneers has increased from 7 to 12, which has increased competition and eventually benefits the consumers.
“The Spices Board is in the process of increasing the number of cardamom trade in an aggressive manner. For this the cardamom dealers license will be provided to interested parties. At present there are 100 such licensed dealers but only 30 are active.”
While talking about initiatives of Spices Board to promote Indian spices globally, Jayathilak said that the expression of Interest for Spice India signature stalls has been received from franchises and manufacturers across the globe.
“We have received enquiries from the countries in the middle-east and the UK. Besides, the US and Latin American countries have expressed interest. These EOIs have to be processed for finalising the franchise and the countries feasible to open the stalls,” he said. Currently Spice India signature stalls are present in Delhi (two) and Kochi. Through these stalls, the Board intends to familarise the finest spices and value-added products under the brand ‘ Flavourit’.
Jayathilak said that in order to face competition from countries such as Guatimala (cardamom), Vietnam (pepper) and China (garlic, ginger), India is focusing more on quality through seven international quality laboratories in India.
“The curious thing about India is that we consume majority of the spices we produce only a fraction of it is being exported,” he said.