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World Spice Congress to be held in Goa

KOCHI: The 9th World Spice Congress will be held from January 28 to 30 in Goa on the theme of ‘Harmonisation – the emerging global need.’

Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh will inaugurate the congress, which will deliberate on various , regulations worldwide and new common food laws being enacted in India, among others.

Spices Board chairman V.J. Kurien told reporters here on Tuesday that India, with a target of $10 billion spices export by 2017, was keen to have uniform set of safety rules under an umbrella.

There were different safety rules for the U.S. and Japan now. With recent developments in the areas of contaminants and important changes in the legal and regulatory environment in most countries, the changes that could impact the spices trade appeared to be far-reaching and challenging, he said.

Global Harmonisation Initiative co-founder and co-chairman Larry Keener would deliberate on the need for initiatives to harmonise food laws around the world, All India Spices Exporters Forum chairperson Sushama Srikandath said.

India occupies a prominent position in the world spice trade.

In an estimated world trade of spices of 8,50,000 tonnes, India has a share of 44 per cent in quantity and 36 per cent in value.

In terms of production too, India has an edge as no other country in the world produced as many spices as India. Spices make 6-7 per cent of India’s total agricultural exports.

Over the years, India’s spices export has been treading the growth path. In 2002-03 the country’s total spices export was 2,64,107 tonnes valued at Rs. 2,086.71 crore.

Export has shown a huge growth and by 2006-07 it has reached the level of 3,73,750 tonnes valued at Rs.3,575.75 crore.

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