India's Status in Spices

 World Spice Organization Advocates for Increased Value Addition in Spices to Reach $10B Export Goal

To meet the Spices Board of India's export target of $10 billion by 2030, India's share of value-added spices should increase to 70%. Currently, India's share in the global seasoning market, valued at $14 billion in 2024, is just 0.7%, compared to China’s 12% and the U.S.’s 11%.

India's Status in Spices

• Production: India is the world's largest producer and consumer of spices. It produces 75 out of the 109 spice varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization.

• Major Spice-Producing States: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and others.

• Export: India is the largest exporter of spices, with chilli being the most exported spice in 2021-22.

• Major Export Destinations: China, USA, Bangladesh, Thailand, UAE, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the UK, and others.

Key Challenges

• Low Value Addition: Only 48% of India’s spice exports are value-added products, with the remainder being sold as raw, whole spices.

• Socio-Economic Issues: 98% of spice production is carried out by small-scale farmers, each with landholdings of less than 2 hectares.

• Weak Regulation: India lacks a national standard that covers all Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) measures.

• Intense Global Competition: India faces stiff competition from countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil, and China.

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