Chilli Export Decline Pulls Down Overall Spice Exports

Spice exports from India saw a marginal decline of 1%, totaling $1.152 billion during the April-June 2023 quarter. This dip was primarily driven by a 29% decrease in chilli shipments, which offset growth in other spice categories such as cumin and turmeric. In comparison, the spice export value during the same period in 2022 was $1.164 billion.

According to the latest data from the Spices Board, chilli exports, which account for the largest share in both volume and value, fell to $265 million. This was a decline from $376.67 million during the same quarter last year. The total volume of spice exports also dropped by 17%, reaching 114,000 tonnes. This was a reduction from 137,000 tonnes in the same period in 2022.Sluggish demand from China and Bangladesh, India’s top chilli buyers, contributed to this decline.

Growth in Other Spices Offsets Chilli Decline

Despite the drop in chilli shipments, other spices such as cumin, turmeric, and cardamom saw significant growth during the quarter.

• Cumin exports increased by 13%, reaching $251 million from $223 million last year. In volume terms, cumin exports surged by 46% to 78,087 tonnes. While compared to 53,399 tonnes in the same period last year.
• Turmeric exports saw a significant rise of 44%, reaching $90.57 million, up from $62.92 million in the previous year. However, the volume of turmeric exports declined by 20%, with shipments standing at 46,497 tonnes compared to 57,557 tonnes last year.

Cardamom, Pepper, and Other Spices Show Strong Growth

Large and small cardamom, pepper, and several other spices registered impressive growth during the April-June quarter:

• Large cardamom exports increased by 179%, reaching $6.49 million from $2.33 million last year. Shipments by volume increased by 40% to 346 tons.
• Small cardamom exports surged by 107%, totaling $34.71 million compared to $16.77 million last year, with a volume increase of 68% to 1,782 tonnes.
• Pepper exports rose by 26%, reaching $25.91 million. The volume of pepper exports grew by 14%, totaling 4,750 tonnes.
• Fennel exports saw an 8% rise to $37.08 million, with a significant 83% increase in volume, reaching 34,015 tonnes.

Other notable performances include tamarind exports, which surged by 63%, reaching $8.05 million, and curry powder/paste exports, which rose by 24%, totaling $54.97 million.

Decline in Coriander and Garlic Exports

Some spices, however, experienced a downturn.

• Coriander exports saw a sharp decline of 56%, falling to $20.94 million from $47.28 million last year. The volume of coriander shipments dropped by 65% to 17,029 tonnes.
• Garlic exports decreased by 26%, reaching $13.23 million, compared to $17.93 million in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, spices oils and oleoresins experienced a moderate increase of 5%, with exports totaling $134.69 million.

Growth in Other Spices Balances Chilli Decline

While the decline in chilli shipments led to an overall reduction in spice export figures, growth in cumin, turmeric, cardamom, and other spices helped balance the impact. India continues to see strong demand for a wide range of spices, though certain categories like coriander and garlic faced challenges during this quarter.

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