NEW DELHI: Country’s spices exports fell by 6.26 per cent to 6,03,885 tonnes during April-December 2015-16 on sharp decline in shipments of spice seeds and cumin, the Spices Board said today. However in value terms, the spices exports increased to Rs 11,453.99 crore in the first nine months of 2015-16 from Rs 10,580.53 crore in the year-ago period, as per the Board data.
“The value of exports has registered an increase of 8 per cent because Indian spices continue to be much sought after overseas. However, there has been a dip of 6 per cent in terms of volumes, primarily due to the decline in the export of spice seeds,” Spices Board Chairman A Jayathilak said in a statement.
The country achieved 82 per cent of its full-year export target of Rs 14,014 crore, set for the first nine months of the fiscal year 2015-16, the Board added.
The export of cumin has reduced drastically to 67,300 tonnes during April-December compared with to 1,24,686 tonnes in the year-ago period due to low productivity because of unfavourable climatic conditions, he said. The exports of cardamom (large), coriander and mint products have also declined both in volume and value terms as compared to last year, he added.