The Spices Board of India has launched a transformative scheme aimed at significantly enhancing the export of spices and value-added spice products as well as improving the productivity of cardamom and upgrading the post-harvest quality of spices for exports.

Various programmes rolled out under the scheme “Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development” (SPICED) will be implemented during the remaining period of the 15th Finance Commission cycle, till FY 2025-26, with a total approved outlay of ₹422.30 crore, said a press release.

The SPICED scheme is expected to facilitate value-addition and to drive innovation and sustainability in the spice sector by introducing new sub-components like the Mission Value Addition, Mission Clean and Safe Spices, promotion of GI spices, support for entrepreneurship through Spice Incubation Centres, etc.

Empowering farmers

The programmes under the components such as “Improving the productivity of cardamom and post-harvest quality upgradation of spices”are specifically designed to empower farmer groups including FPOs, Farmer Producer Companies and Self-Help Groups in key spice-growing regions. These groups will be prioritised for post-harvest improvement of spices, with targeted assistance provided to enhance creation of an exportable surplus of spices, in compliance with the applicable food safety and quality standards.

The programmes for cardamom focuses on increasing the productivity of both small and large cardamom through replanting efforts, production of quality planting material, developing water sources, adopting micro-irrigation systems, etc.

In a move to further strengthen value-addition in the spice sector, the Board is introducing components such as “Enhancing capacities for market expansion, Trade promotion, and Technological interventions”.

Trade promotion

These components offer support for technological and infrastructural interventions for processing and value-addition of spices, setting up or upgradation of in-house laboratories, product development, market development and branding, and implementation of food safety and quality assurance mechanisms, all aimed at improving India’s global competitiveness in the spice sector.

To strengthen trade promotion efforts, programmes have been designed to support participation in international fairs, buyer-seller meets, and for promotion of GI-tagged spices in domestic and global markets.

The online submission of application for availing assistance under various programs of the SPICED scheme will commence from September 20.

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