SPICED Scheme of Spices Board of India

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy, Agriculture

In News

• The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved the SPICED scheme (Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative, and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development) to be implemented until 2025-26. 

About

• The scheme focuses on increasing the area and productivity of small and large cardamom, enhancing the quality of spices for export through post-harvest improvements, and promoting value-added spice exports.
• Key objectives:
  • Expanding cardamom cultivation and increasing productivity for export.
  • Enhancing post-harvest quality, meeting export standards, and improving compliance with safety and quality regulations.
• Though, India is the world’s largest spice producer. It is also the largest consumer and exporter of spices.

Cardamom

• Cardamom is derived from the seeds of the Elettaria cardamomum plant (also known as green or true cardamom) and belongs to the ginger family.
• It has a distinctive strong, warm flavor that is both spicy and sweet.
• It is categorized into two main types: Small Cardamom and Large Cardamom.
• Small Cardamom:
  • Origin: Native to the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats in South India.
  • Major Producers: Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu
  • Favorable Growing Conditions: Loamy Soil, requires thick shade for optimal growth, temperature range of 10°C to 35°C and requires 1500 to 4000 mm of annual rainfall.
• Large Cardamom:
  • Distribution: Grown primarily in the Sub-Himalayan regions of North Eastern India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
  • Major Producers: Mainly cultivated in the states of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
  • Favorable Growing Conditions: Requires an average rainfall of 3000-3500 mm, 6°C to 30°C temperature, high altitudes ranging from 600 to 2000 meters and Prefers well-drained, loamy soils with rich organic matter.

Source: TH