The National Spice Conference 2024, aimed to advance food safety and sustainability in the spice industry. The conference highlighted the Indian spice industry’s growth and future, highlighting challenges.
The World Spice Organisation (WSO), the not-for-profit technical partner of All India Spices Exporters Forum committed to advancing food safety and sustainability within the spice industry, has successfully concluded the 3rd Edition of the National Spice Conference (NSC) 2024. Held in Ahmedabad, the event drew a significant number of delegates, showcasing robust participation from diverse stakeholders across the spice sector.
This year’s conference, themed “Sustainable Spices Supply Chain – Way Forward,” focused on enhancing the resilience of the supply chain through sustainable practices, with an emphasis on quality assurance, new technologies, and opportunities for farmer producer organizations (FPOs) to access new markets. The conference was attended by FSSAI, Spice Board, Central Insecticide Board – Registration Committee (Ministry of Agriculture), and National Research Organizations like IISR and senior executives from leading spice-related firms.
Highlighting the spice industry’s growth and future during the conference, Ms. P Hemalatha IAS, Secretary of the Spices Board, said, “Indian spice industry is equipped to meet the global demands and contributes to 25% of the international spice trade. However, with the increasing awareness on food safety and quality in the global markets, one of the major challenges the Indian spice sector will face in the future will be to maintain the exportable surplus of the major spices that confirm to the stringent regulations.”
Commenting on the conference’s vision, Mr. Ramkumar Menon, Chairman of the World Spice Organisation, stated, “The World Spice Organisation remains steadfast in its commitment to building a sustainable future for the spice industry. The National Spice Conference provides a platform to unite the industry’s many players to foster innovation, sustainability, and food safety. We envision a future where sustainable practices ensure high-quality spices, benefiting farmers and meeting global standards.”
Dr. Archana Sinha, Secretary, Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee said, “It is crucial to develop policies that benefit the farmers, industry and consumers alike. CIB-RC has taken steps to help register more pesticides and establish more Maximum Residue Limits for pesticides through crop-grouping, rationalisation of registration guidelines and ease of registration of new and safer pesticide molecules.”
The first day of the conference witnessed a series of sessions focused on building a food-safe and sustainable supply chain, covering topics such as quality assurance, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable agricultural practices. Industry experts discussed strategies to enhance spice yield, maintain quality, and incorporate technology, all aimed at securing a resilient supply chain. Notably, the sessions provided insights from farmer groups and FPOs, enabling a valuable exchange of practical experiences and innovations for the benefit of small-scale farmers.
Mr. Prakash Namboodiri, Commercial Director, AB Mauri India and Business Committee Head of NSC 2024 set the context for the event. He said “The spice industry plays a vital role in the global food economy, and this conference provides an invaluable opportunity to share insights, build farmer partnerships, and drive progress toward a more sustainable and prosperous future for all the stakeholders.”
Mr. KS Thyagarajan, Head Corporate Affairs, PI Industries shed light on the integral role of food-safe practices in achieving the ambitious goal of doubling farmers’ income. He stated, “Safety is not just a regulatory requirement; it is a pathway to prosperity for our farmers. This conference provides a platform to align our efforts towards this common goal.”
On the second day, sessions highlighted the latest industry trends, an update from the spice crop farmers on their crop and offered an exclusive marketing forum connecting producers and processors through a structured farmer-buyer interface.
In a session on integrating technology into agricultural practices, Mr. Amandeep Panwar, CEO Bharat Rohan Airborne Innovations shared insights on how advanced technologies are being adapted to local farming conditions to increase productivity while minimizing environmental impact. These discussions provided a comprehensive perspective on the advancements reshaping the spice sector.
The conference was attended by various farmer producer organizations (FPOs) and NGOs, representing over 35,000 farmers linked to the National Sustainable Spice Programme (NSSP), a flagship initiative by WSO that promotes food-safe and sustainable spice cultivation practices and provides market access support for farmer groups.
About World Spice Organisation
WSO (World Spice Organization) was established in 2011 with the objectives of achieving Food Safety and Sustainability in this sector. Over the course of the past few years, WSO has carried out many projects in the fields of Sustainability, Biodiversity and Food Safety in collaboration with prominent national and international organizations like Spices Board, Indian Institute of Spice Research (IISR), GIZ (Germany) and IDH – The sustainable Trade Initiative (Netherlands).
Have a news or topic to share with industry? Write to us editorial@pfionline.com
