Kochi, May 22 (IANS) The Spices Board has launched the ‘Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED)’ scheme for the fiscal year 2025-26 under which financial assistance is offered across the value chain to farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to enhance the production, quality and export of spices.

The scheme is aimed at increasing the productivity of small and large cardamom, improving the quality of post-harvest processes, and encouraging the production and export of value-added, GI-tagged, and organic spices. It also helps in enabling compliance with global food safety and phytosanitary standards and boosting the capacity of stakeholders across the value chain.

Online applications for the SPICED scheme will open on May 26. Spice exporters can apply under the scheme’s export development and promotion components until June 30, while farmers and FPOs can submit applications under the development components in other categories until September 30.

The scheme offers financial assistance for replanting and rejuvenation of cardamom plantations, development of water resources, micro-irrigation, promotion of organic farming, and expansion of good agricultural practices (GAP). In addition, it supports the installation of improved post-harvest infrastructure, such as modern dryers, slicers, dehullers, and grading machines to ensure superior product quality.

The scheme also provides financial assistance to farmers and FPOS to procure essential post-harvest machines such as spice polishers, turmeric boilers, mint distillation units, and threshing machines.

Besides, the scheme helps in marketing efforts by facilitating the participation of stakeholders in international trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, and other market linkage programs. It gives high priority to supporting first-time exporters and small businesses, enabling them to showcase Indian spices in global markets.

India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of spices. During FY24, the country exported spices worth US$ 4.46 billion. In FY25 (until December 2024), India exported spices worth Rs 29,016 crore (US$ 3.36 billion).

The production of different spices has been growing rapidly over the last few years. The production of spices in FY24 was estimated at 12 million metric tonnes, whereas production in FY23 stood at 11.14 million tonnes compared to 11.12 million tonnes in FY22. During FY23, the export of spices from India stood at US$ 3.73 billion from US$ 3.46 billion in FY22.

India’s export of organic food products have also registered a robust 35 per cent increase to $665.96 million (around Rs 5,700 crore) during the financial year ending on March 31, 2025 compared to the corresponding figure of $494.80 million in 2023-24, according to the latest data released by the government.

–IANS

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