Two-day National Spice Conference begins in Hyderabad
The two-day second National Spice Conference (NSC), organized by the World Spice Organization, a non-profit technical partner of the All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF), began here on Saturday.
Hyderabad: The two-day second National Spice Conference (NSC), organized by the World Spice Organization, a non-profit technical partner of the All-India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF), began here in Hyderabad on Saturday.
The conference, themed “Food Safe Spices – The Way Forward to a Stable & Sustainable Income,” aims to address challenges and promote responsible practices in the spice industry.
During the inaugural session, Dr Sanjay Arya, Secretary Central Insecticide Board – Registration Committee (CIB-RC), underscored the vital role of spices in the country’s economy.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring the quality and productivity of spice crops for a resilient agricultural sector and the well-being of farmers. Dr. Arya discussed challenges faced by spice cultivation, advocating for a balanced approach to pest management with both chemical and biological solutions.
Addressing concerns about pesticide registrations, the CIB-RC Secretary expressed apprehension over the low number of registered pesticides and stressed the need for collaborative efforts. He discussed ongoing negotiations with industry stakeholders and proposed the concept of crop grouping to streamline the registration process for new molecules.
Dr. Arya urged the pesticide industry to continue generating essential data for pesticide registration, acknowledging the challenges while emphasizing its significance.
Dr A B Remashree, Director of Research at the Spices Board, addressed challenges faced by the spice industry, including rejections and export problems. She highlighted the issue of microbial contamination affecting exports to the European Union (EU) and stressed the need for a coordinated effort to address these challenges.
Dr Remashree also discussed concerns about Salmonella contamination and emerging issues such as aflatoxins in spices exported to Africa and regulatory limits on mineral oil contamination.
Recognizing the complexity of challenges in the spice sector, the Director outlined initiatives by the Spices Board, including consignment inspections, the development of quality standards, and participation in international projects promoting clean and safe spices.
She expalined the importance of pesticide label claims and ongoing workshops to address this issue.
Dr Homey Cherian, Director of the Directorate of Arecanut and Spice Development (DASD), Ministry of Agriculture, talked about the government’s commitment to strengthening the spice sector for sustainable growth and food safety.
Mr Cherian Xavier, Chairman of the Business Committee for NSC 2023, highlighted the conference theme as a call to the industry for responsible and sustainable practices.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Ramkumar Menon, Chairman of the World Spice Organisation, stressed the importance of collective efforts in ensuring the safety and sustainability of the spice industry, committing to building a resilient and sustainable future.
The second day of the conference will delve into topics such as better input management, improving productivity, innovative processes, market trends, and challenges and opportunities in innovative packaging of spices.
Participants can expect engaging discussions, expert insights, and actionable strategies to foster a future where food-safe practices lead to stable and sustainable incomes for spice farmers.
