Expanding Spice Production in India
In the past two decades, the Indian spice sector, particularly in Kochi, has experienced significant growth. The annual increase in spice production is around 7 percent, with the sown area also expanding by approximately 4.4 percent each year, especially in Kozhikode.
A report from the Indian Spices Research Institute, the All India Coordinated Research Project on Spices, and the Horticulture Research and Extension Center in Sirsi highlighted that the average spice yield from 2005-06 to 2020-21 has improved from 1.63 to 2.50 tonnes per hectare.
National and Regional Production Statistics
For the 2020-21 period, the total area dedicated to spice cultivation across India was 4.38 million hectares, leading to a production output of 111.20 million tonnes. In Karnataka, the area under spice cultivation was 0.43 million hectares, contributing to a production of 9.60 million tonnes. Major spices in production and export include red chili, black pepper, dry ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, and mace, with red chilies and dry ginger accounting for about 76 percent of total spice production.
Surge in Spice Exports
Data from the Directorate of Areca Nut and Spices Development in Kozhikode and the Spices Board of India indicated a 30% increase in spice exports during the 2020-21 season, marking an all-time high. In the 2021-22 season, India exported around 15 lakh tonnes of spices, generating a revenue of 4.102 billion dollars.
This substantial growth marked a 43 percent increase in quantity and a 47 percent rise in revenue from spice exports. Furthermore, the identification of four new spice species, including Gujarat Ajwain-3, Hisar Nigella-12, IISR Amrit-Mango Ginger, and Kamakhya-1 Black Pepper, signifies further progress in the sector.