Major coffee production exported

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) Coffee production in India was in the range of 2.75 lakh million tonnes with over 200,000 tonnes exported, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said the domestic coffee consumption was in the range of 80,000 tonnes and was far less in comparison to its production and there was no need for regulating the coffee supply.

He denied there was a steep fall in prices of turmeric. The government had not given any direction to NAFED which purchases turmeric from Nizamabad area in the state for meeting its exports commitment to procure turmeric at remunerative prices.

Turning to spices production, he said the world trade of spices consisting of pepper, ginger, fenugreek, tamarind cinnamon and other produce was in the order of 7.5 lakh tonnes valued at 1,650 million US dollars and India commanded formidable position with 43 per cent share in the world market.

UNI