• The Spices Board, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched a ‘Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED)’.

• The scheme is 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 across India for export.

• It will be implemented during the remaining period of the 15th Finance Commission cycle, until FY 2025-26, with a total approved outlay of Rs 422.30 crore.

Highlights of SPICED scheme

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

• The scheme emphasizes farmers’ groups, FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations), farmer clusters identified under ODOP (One District One Product) and DEH (District Export Hub), as well as SC/ST communities, exporters from the northeast region, and SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises).

Objectives and Focus

• The programmes under components such as improving the productivity of cardamom and post-harvest quality upgradation of spices are specifically designed to empower farmer groups, including FPOs, FPCs (Farmer Producer Companies), and SHGs (Self-Help Groups) in key spice-growing regions. 

• These groups will be prioritised for post-harvest improvements, with targeted assistance provided to enhance the creation of an exportable surplus of spices in compliance with applicable food safety and quality standards.

Cardamom Productivity Programmes

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

• Additionally, there are programs to promote weather-based insurance to protect farmers’ interests.

• Similarly, post-harvest quality improvement of spices is addressed through initiatives like Mission Clean and Safe Spices, which focuses on post-harvest improvements by groups in identified clusters, promoting sustainable production, certification systems, and extension advisory services.

• 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. 

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

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)