The Hindu Business Line : Sharp rise in chilli exports

CHILLI exports have gone up substantially during April-October this year compensating for the drop in other commodities and thus maintaining the overall spices export trend.

Export of chilli increased by 16,000 tonnes valued at Rs 57.22 crore to 54,000 tonnes worth Rs 199.77 crore during the period as against 38,000 tonnes valued at Rs 133.55 crore in April-October last fiscal.

Total spices exports during the current fiscal up to October 31 stood at 1,50,845 tonnes valued at Rs 900.60 crore as against 1,30,145 tonnes valued at Rs 892.84 crore same period last year. In terms of quantity, the exports have gone up by over 20,000 tonnes.

At this trend, the target of 2,47,000 tonnes valued at Rs 1,765 crore set for the current fiscal could be achieved, a senior source at the Spices Board told Business Line.

Among the other item that have shown an increase are fenugreek, other seeds, nutmeg and mace. When the unit value of some had dropped that of some others had gone up. Unit value of pepper, ginger, coriander, cumin, celery, fennel, fenugreek, other seeds, mint oil and spices oleoresins and oils continued to remain at lower levels.

Meanwhile, the unit value of garlic has gone up from Rs 19.10 to Rs 32.63 per kg, cardamom (small) from Rs 568.69 to Rs 751.54 per kg. Similarly that of nutmeg and mace increased from Rs 155 to Rs 196.91 per kg.

However, the major item spices oleoresins and oils witnessed a drop in the unit value from Rs 960.53 to Rs 861.81 per kg. Similarly that of mint oil also declined.

Pepper exports also continued to show a downward trend. It stood at 10,500 tonnes valued at Rs 87.26 crore during April-October 2002 as against 12,850 tonnes worth Rs 130.80 crore in the same period last year.

The unit value of this commodity which used to be the main contributor to spices exports until recently had fell to Rs 83.11 per kg from Rs 101.79 during the period last fiscal, the sources said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
Comment on this article to BLFeedback@thehindu.co.in

Stories in this Section
Non-veg ethos gags Gujarat's fish industry

New initiatives soon to promote horticulture

Rubber slips on poor buying interest

Southern tea associations plead for excise relief

Sharp rise in chilli exports

`India should be the voice of developing world'

NCDC to start direct financing