KOLKATA: Cashing in on the growing demand for value-added spices as a result of changing lifestyles across the globe, India exported more curry powder and curry paste in April-July 2009, despite recession prevailing in many countries.
Having experienced no dent in demand for ready-to-use spices even at the time of recession, curry powder and curry paste exports from the country increased 13% to 5,125 tonne during the first four months of 2009-10 as against 4,525 tonne in the corresponding period last year.
Exporters also got higher prices this time around for ready-to-use spice consignments. Unlike most of the other whole spices, which fetched lower prices this year in foreign markets, Indian curry powder and curry paste on an average fetched a value of Rs 123.56 per kg between April and July 2009 as against an unit price of Rs 116.63 in the same period last year. As a result, aggregate earnings from its exports increased 20% to Rs 6,332.5 crore during the period.
However, with people tightening their budget on spending their money to buy spices in the whole form during recession, overall exports of spices from India dropped 4% to 1,64,215 tonne in the first four months of the current year from its previous corresponding level of 189,870 tonne.
The total export, in value terms, fell 10% to Rs 1,690.81 crore ($347.07 million) from Rs 1,880.88 crore ($448.3 million).
Amongst all whole grain spices, severe erosion has been seen in black pepper exports. High prices of Indian black pepper in the global market compared to other origins, particularly from Vietnam, coupled with recession in India’s traditional export markets like the US, Europe and Japan, have driven down its exports by 28% in volume terms and 36% in value terms.
In April-July 2008, India exported 9,430 tonne of black pepper, worth Rs 160.35 crore. After a year, its export stands at 6,750 tonne, valued at Rs 102 crore.
As there is no possibility of the situation improving in the next eight months or so, the Spice Board is not optimistic of achieving the target export figure for black pepper, which is set at 25,000 tonne, said a board official.
For not getting enough orders for chilli from Pakistan, exports of this Indian spice fell to 55,000 tonne in April-July, 2009 from 81,000 tonne in the corresponding period last year. Consequently, the earning from export dropped to Rs 342.03 from Rs 415.52 crore.
However, all spices, which are sold in whole, did not record a negative growth trend. Export of coriander seed increased from 12,745 tonne (valuing Rs 83.06 crore) to 16,750 tonne (Rs 84.8 crore), nutmeg and mace from 245 tonne (Rs 8.05 crore) to 1,035 tonne (Rs 26.08 crore) and garlic from 440 tonne (Rs 1.26 crore) to 1,450 tonne (Rs 2.91 crore).
Source : The Economic Times