Turmeric farmers asked to hold stocks

Coimbatore, Jun 17 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has advised turmeric farmers to hold the turmeric stocks till July and release the stocks afterwards upto December 15 this year to get maximum price.

In a press release the Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell of Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS) of TNAU said the annual spice crop was an essential ingredient of many curry recipes.

It said a study revealed that India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric in the world. Indian turmeric is considered to be the best in the world market because of its high curcumin content.

India accounts for about 80 per cent of world turmeric production. Other major producers are Pakistan, China, Haiti, Jamaica, Peru, Taiwan and Thailand, Asian countries consume much of their own turmeric production and the total annual consumption of turmeric around the world is 38 lakh bags to 40 lakh bags (65 kg per bag).

In India, Andhra Pradesh accounts for 60 per cent of total turmeric production followed by Orissa and Tamil Nadu occupying 12 per cent and 13 percent. The area under turmeric in Tamil Nadu has reached the maximum area of 33,000 hectares during 2000-01.

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