2nd National Spice Conference (NSC) in Hyderabad

  • November 16, 2023
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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2nd National Spice Conference (NSC) in Hyderabad

Subject : Economy

Section: External Sector

  1. Organizers: The World Spice Organization (WSO) is hosting the 2nd National Spice Conference as the technical partner of the All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF).
  2. Dates: The conference is scheduled to take place on November 18 and 19.
  3. Objective: The NSC aims to provide a crucial platform for discussions within the Indian spice industry, fostering collaboration among farmer producers, spice manufacturers, and traders.
  4. Collaborators: The conference is organized in collaboration with GIZ and IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative. Rainforest Alliance serves as the sustainability partner for the event.
  5. Theme: This year’s NSC revolves around the theme “Food Safe Spices: The Way Forward to a Stable & Sustainable Income.”
  6. Perspective: The conference will offer a 360-degree perspective on food safety and its positive impacts on income and profit in the spice industry.
  7. Business-Focused Segments: Various sessions will cover topics such as increasing income through sustainable and eco-friendly practices, technology-driven farming, food safety and compliance, funding opportunities for farmers/FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations), better input management, improving productivity, and innovative processes and market trends.

National Spice Conference 2023: Overview

  1. Theme:
    • “Food Safe Spices: The Way Forward to a Stable & Sustainable Income”
  2. Organizer:
    • World Spice Organisation (WSO):
      • The WSO is spearheading efforts toward food safety, quality, and sustainability in the spice industry.
  3. Focus:
    • Building on the conclusions drawn from the previous National Spice Conference (NSC), the focus is on understanding the positive impacts of food safety on income and profit for the farming community.
  4. Scope:
    • The conference aims to cover all nodes and aspects of the spice supply chain, providing a comprehensive, 360° vision on food safety.
  5. Rationale:
    • Effective food safety and quality control systems are emphasized not only for safeguarding public health but also for fostering economic development.
    • The goal is to improve livelihoods by expanding access to regional and international markets through enhanced food safety measures.

The NSC-2023 aims to contribute to the advancement of the spice industry by addressing critical aspects of food safety, quality, and sustainability, thereby ensuring a stable and sustainable income for the farming community.

World Spice Organisation (WSO): Inception

  1. Formation:
    • The WSO was established in Kochi, known as the spice capital of India.
    • It operates as a not-for-profit organization registered under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific, and Charitable Societies Act, 1956.
  2. Primary Objective:
    • Facilitating the Spice Industry:
      • The primary focus of WSO is to facilitate the spice industry in addressing issues related to “Food Safety & Sustainability.”
  3. Stakeholder Involvement:
    • WSO aims to achieve its objectives by involving all key stakeholders:
      • General Public
      • Industry Representatives
      • Academia
      • End-Users
  4. Spice Renaissance:
    • WSO envisions a “spice renaissance,” signifying a revival or rebirth of the spice industry.

The establishment of WSO reflects a concerted effort to bring together diverse stakeholders and address critical issues faced by the spice industry, with a particular emphasis on food safety, sustainability, and social responsibility.

World Spice Congress (WSC):

  1. Inception and Purpose:
    • The World Spice Congress (WSC) was planned and conceived in 1990 as a platform for discussion and interaction between importers and exporters of spices.
    • It serves as the conglomeration of the global spice industry, providing a forum for deliberating concerns and considerations in the sector.
  2. Organizer:
    • Organized under the leadership of the Spices Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
  3. Theme of WSC 2023:
    • The theme for WSC 2023 is “VISION 2030: S-P-I-C-E-S,” representing sustainability, productivity, innovation, collaboration, excellence, and safety.
  4. Key Facts about the Spices Board of India:
    • The Spices Board of India was constituted on February 26, 1987, under the Spices Board Act of 1986. It resulted from the merger of the erstwhile Cardamom Board (1968) and Spices Export Promotion Council (1960).
    • Functioning under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the board is responsible for export promotion of the 52 scheduled spices and the development of Cardamom (both small and large).
    • It acts as a link between Indian exporters and importers abroad.
  5. Main Functions of the Spices Board:
    • Research, development, and regulation of domestic marketing of small and large cardamom.
    • Post-harvest improvement of all spices.
    • Promotion of organic production, processing, and certification of spices.
    • Development of spices in the North East.
    • Provision of quality evaluation services.

About All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF)

The All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF) is an organization that represents the interests of spice exporters in India.

  1. Formation:
    • AISEF is a forum that brings together exporters of spices from across India.
  2. Objective:
    • The primary objective of AISEF is to represent and promote the interests of spice exporters in the country.
  3. Membership:
    • The forum consists of members who are engaged in the export of various spices.
  4. Advocacy and Representation:
    • AISEF serves as a platform for advocacy on behalf of spice exporters, addressing issues related to trade policies, regulations, and market access.

About Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)

The Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) plays a crucial role in developing worldwide standards for spices and culinary herbs.

Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH):

  1. Establishment:
    • CCSCH was established in 2013.
  2. Main Function:
    • The committee’s primary function is to elaborate global standards for spices and culinary herbs, particularly in their dried and dehydrated states, covering whole, ground, and cracked or crushed forms.
  3. Host Country and Secretariat:
    • India serves as the host country for CCSCH.
    • The Secretariat responsible for organizing the committee’s sessions is the Spices Board under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in India.

Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):

  1. Establishment:
    • CAC was established in 1963 as an intergovernmental body under the joint framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
  2. Secretariat:
    • The CAC Secretariat is hosted at FAO headquarters in Rome.
  3. Objectives:
    • CAC aims to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade.
  4. Meetings:
    • The commission convenes in regular sessions once a year, alternating between Geneva and Rome.
  5. Membership:
    • Currently, CAC has 189 Codex Members.

Codex Alimentarius:

  1. Nature:
    • Codex Alimentarius is a compilation of international food standards adopted by CAC.
  2. Coverage:
    • The standards encompass various food categories, including processed, semi-processed, or raw foods, as well as materials used in further food processing.
  3. Scope of Provisions:
    • Codex provisions address the hygienic and nutritional quality of food, covering aspects such as microbiological norms, food additives, and residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs.

Spice exports from India

Despite the COVID Pandemic, spices export from India has continued its upward trend during 2020-21 and has attained an all-time high of US $ 4.0 billion mark for the first time in the history of spices export and the same trend continued during 2021-22.

During 2022-23, the export of spices/spice products from the country has been 1404357 tons valued Rs.31761 crore (3952.60 million US$).

2nd National Spice Conference (NSC) in Hyderabad economy