Government The government on Wednesday approved the formation of National Turmeric Board for the development of turmeric and its products along with increasing exports in the country. Considering the medicinal properties of turmeric, there is a lot of potential for its trade across the world. India’s share in the global trade of turmeric is more than 62 percent. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur informed about this decision taken in the Union Cabinet meeting. He said the government plans to increase turmeric exports to Rs 8,400 crore (US$ 1 billion) by 2030 from the current level of Rs 1,600 crore.
Will focus on product development and growth
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement that the Turmeric Board will focus on the development and growth of turmeric and related products in the country. This board will help in promoting research and development, capacity building and skill development of turmeric growers to get more benefits from value addition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the formation of Turmeric Board at a function in Telangana on Tuesday. The Center notified a proposal to this effect the very next day. On this occasion, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said that the decision to set up a board for turmeric will not only benefit the farmers of Telangana but also the farmers of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Assam, Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal. Farmers of Bengal will also benefit from this. The commerce ministry said the board will also promote quality and food safety standards of turmeric and compliance with such standards.
India is the largest producer of turmeric in the world
India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric in the world. According to the statement, apart from the Chairman appointed by the Central Government, the Board will include representatives (on rotation basis) from the Ministry of AYUSH, Department of Medicine, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Commerce and Industry along with three states. Apart from this, representatives of national/state institutions involved in research, selected turmeric farmers and exporters will also join the board. The Secretary of the Board will be appointed by the Commerce Department. During the financial year 2022-23, more than 380 exporters had exported 1.534 lakh tonnes of turmeric and its products worth $207.4 million.
Exports to these countries
Turmeric is exported from India mainly to Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, America and Malaysia. The Board will provide leadership on matters related to turmeric and coordinate with the Spices Board and other government agencies in the development and growth of the turmeric sector. It will specifically focus on capacity building and skill development of turmeric growers to derive greater benefits from value addition. In the last financial year, 11.61 lakh tonnes of turmeric was produced in the country, which is more than 75 percent of the total global production. Turmeric was cultivated in 3.24 lakh hectare area in the country. More than 30 varieties of turmeric are grown in more than twenty states. The largest producing states of turmeric are Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
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