Spices and Condiments (1+1)

Quality maintenance in Indian spices

 
• India has a global monopoly in spices oils and oleoresins. During 1998-1999 India exported 2625 tonnes of oils and oleoresins valued at Rs. 293.10 crores against 2351 tonnes valued at Rs. 222.21 crores during 1997-1998. There are AGMARK specifications for various Indian species and their value-added products. The Bureau of Indian Standards has published a series of specifications to maintain and improve quality of Indian spices. High curcumin lines in turmeric, high piperine lines in black pepper, high essential oil lines in clove, cinnamon and nutmeg, etc., are in the pipeline at the Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut.