KOCHI: India’s foreign trade is gaining in terms of spices exports, thanks to the weak currency. But Kerala, the land of spices, does not have any reason to cheer as exports from the Cochin port is on a downward trend.In 2014-15, as many as 72,645 tonne of spices were exported from the port, compared to 74,305 tonne in 2013-14, marking a fall of 1,660 tonne.
Global Prices The main reason cited for the downturn is a drop in global prices of spices, owing to increase in production in countries like Madagascar and Vietnam. High production cost and stringent quality parameters are the other major factors that has dragged the quantity of spices exported.Interestingly, prices of all the major spices, except nutmeg, recorded annual growth in the last financial year.
Even though exports of cardamom, chillies, nutmeg, pepper and turmeric increased, shipments of ginger and value-added products witnessed a decline.Pepper exports rose from 15,979 tonne in 2013-14 to 16,204 tonne in 2014-15. The commodity that was exported the most from the Cochin Port was ‘masalas’.
In 2014-15, as many as 16,976 tonne of masalas were exported, compared to 15,521 tonne in 2013-14. Overall, however, there was a fall in exports of 65 items from the port.“We understand that the European Union and the US have placed a temporary ban on import of black pepper, mainly from Vietnam which is a major exporter of pepper.
