Date:27/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/07/27/stories/2006072702291200.htm

Back Spices exports up Rs 48.91 cr in Q1

G.K. Nair

Volume declines by 6,544 tonnes

Kochi , July 26

Spices exports from the country increased by Rs 48.91 crore during the first quarter of the current financial year to Rs 620.15 crore, while it declined by 6,544 tonnes in quantity.

Total exports during the April-June quarter of 2006-07 stood at 83,375 tonnes (89,919 tonnes during the year-ago period).

Value-added products

The increase in value could be attributed to the good performance by value-added products such as spice oils and oleoresins, mint products, and curry powder, paste and condiments.

The contribution of these items in terms of value was Rs 280.48 crore, around 45 per cent of the total exports of Rs 620.15 crore.

This has increased by Rs 12.68 crore from Rs 267.80 crore. Though there was a decline in exports of mint products to 2,650 tonnes (2,798 tonnes) in April-June 2005-06, the unit value increased from Rs 464.52 a kg to Rs 543.77 a kg.

Curry powder

However, the unit value for spice oil and oleoresins declined from Rs 847.88 a kg to Rs 799.14 a kg.

The value of curry powder/paste/condiments increased marginally.

There was a substantial drop in shipments of chilli, down from 33,081 tonnes to 22,500 tonnes; coriander — from 7,201 tonnes to 4,700 tonnes; and turmeric — from 15,349 tonnes to 15,000 tonnes.

Fenugreek dropped from 4,494 tonnes to 1,750 tonnes, and other seeds — from 3,145 tonnes to 1,500 tonnes.

However, cumin continued to increase, following short supply from other origins.

Shipments of this item increased sharply to 7,500 tonnes (2,066 tonnes). Similarly, garlic was up at 8,500 tonnes (5,638 tonnes), and ginger increased from 1,419 tonnes to 2,450 tonnes.

Exports of vanilla increased to 55 tonnes (17 tonnes).

However, its unit value dropped to Rs 1,619.68 a kg (2,375.20 a kg).

Pepper up

Exports of pepper and cardamom (small) increased during the first quarter , but their unit value dropped.

The thrust given to exports of value-added products has, in recent years, started yielding positive results, Spices Board sources told Business Line.

The emphasis would be to encourage shipments of value-added products rather than to export bulk whole spices, they said.

Export of certain whole spices such as chilli, cumin, ginger, garlic etc depended on the supply from other origins and the international price. Therefore, shipments of such items could fluctuate on the basis of global availability, which again depended on the crop conditions and output in other producing countries, they added.