‘Indian spices getting more demand globally’

“The spices industry stands at a pivotal moment where global demand is rising, sustainability is no longer optional and scalability will determine who leads tomorrow,” Chairman of the Kochi based World Spice Organisation (WSO) Ramkumar Menon said, setting the tone for Day 1 of the 4th National Spice Conference in Guntur on Friday (November 14).

The two-day event, organised by the WSO, the non-profit technical partner of the All-India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF) opened in Guntur City, under the theme “Spice Route Ahead – Safe, Sustainable and Scalable.” Industry leaders, global experts and stakeholders across the value chain converged to discuss the future of India’s spice sector.

Mr. Menon told The Hindu in an interaction on this occasion that, the chilli is most and largest exported spice from India and the farmers should strive to add value to their produce through FPOs. He observed that the farmers will have more income from chilli, of they add value to their produce before selling it as raw material. He also observed that they Indian spices contribute more exports when compared with any other country in the world.

Chairman of the FSSAI Scientific Panel on Pesticide Residues Paresh Shah underscored that the integrity of the supply chain is central to the sector’s progress. “From farm to fork, food safety must be our guiding principle and our strategies must leave no gap in trust or traceability,” he said.

Director of the Spices Board AB Remashree highlighted the transformative role of technology in improving farmer livelihoods. “Technology is the lever; our challenge is to bring it into the fields, scale it across geographies, and ensure farmers share in the value created,” she noted.

Day one witnessed discussions on food safety across the supply chain, inclusive growth through communities of practice and emerging farming innovations powered by AgriTech. The participation of farmer-producer organisations (FPOs), agritech startups, regulators and leading spice-industry players marked a strong collaborative spirit.

The event brought together farmers, FPOs, processors, exporters and technology providers, all aligned toward strengthening India’s spice ecosystem in a safe, sustainable and scalable manner.

The conference will continue on 15 November with sessions focused on balancing growth with responsibility, followed by a buyer-seller interface aimed at forging direct linkages between producers and processors for meaningful partnerships and actionable outcomes.