Spice oils, oleoresins help India net record spice exports

Kochi, Mar 21 (UNI) Indian Spice exports reached a record turnover of more than Rs 3,000 crore during 2006-07, registering an increase of 44 per cent in value and six per cent in quantity terms.

Spice oils and oleoresins, including mint products, contributed 46 per cent of the total export earnings. Chilli contributed 20 per cent, followed by pepper nine, cumin six and turmeric 5 per cent, Spice Board sources here today said.

The export earnings during April-February 2006-07 crossed the Rs 3000 crore mark for the first time. The estimated export has been 311,000 tonnes, valued at Rs 3020.60 crore (667 million US $) as against 292,759 tonnes valued at Rs 2100.40 crore (475.00 million US $) in the corresponding period last year.

Compared to the same period last year, the exports showed an increase of six per cent in quantity and 44 per cent in rupee value.

In dollar terms, the increase is 40 per cent.

During April-February 2006-07, the export of pepper, cardamom (large), chilli, turmeric, cumin, nutmeg and mace, vanilla, curry powder/paste, mint products, tamarind, asafoetida and other seed spices were higher in terms of both quantity and value. In the case of coriander, fennel and fenugreek, there was an increase in value only. All other major spices have shown decline in both quantity and value.

During this period, India exported 25,500 tonnes of pepper valued Rs 266.00 crore as against 15,126 tonnes valued Rs 127.34 crore last year. The chilli exports were 112,000 tonnes valued Rs 596.50 crore as against 103,011 tonnes valued at Rs 362.02 crore last year.

Cumin exports were 24,250 tonnes valued at Rs.185.80 crore as against 9,541 tonnes valued Rs 72.10 crore. Vanila exports stood at 105 tonnes valued at Rs 16.54 crore as against 32 tonnes valued at Rs 6.71 crores last year.

Curry powder exports were pegged at 8,650 tonnes valued Rs 78 crore as against 8,087 tonnes valued at Rs 69.42 crore last year.

Mint products exports went up to 14,250 tonnes valued at a whopping Rs 963.70 crore as against 10,200 tonnes valued at Rs 548.36 crores. Nutmeg and mace exports increased to 1,790 tonnes valued at Rs 36.15 crores as against 1,530 tonnes valued at Rs 30.74 crores last year.

Large cardamom exports went up to 1,175 tonnes valued at Rs 13 crore as against 856 tonnes valued at Rs 8.72 crore last year.

UNI