India to become global spice hub soon

New Delhi, Apr 4 (PTI) India, the world's leading
spice producer, exporter and consumer, is all set to become a
hub of global spice trade with the launch of an international
body that would coordinate it.
"Process is on to open the head-office of World Spice
Organisation (WSO) at Kochi. It has been registered and will
be formally launched within three months," Founding Chairman
WSO Philip Kuruvilla told PTI.
Kochi in Kerala is the hub for spice trading in India.
The body will not only seek better solutions for
sustainability of spice production, but would also address
the issue of food safety regulations. It seeks to provide a
global platform from the farm to the end user, Kuruvilla said.
"Several spice related organisations have pledged
their support and have welcomed the initiative," Kuruvilla
said, without revealing their names.
A global body that can connect all the spice producing
and exporting countries for timely exchange of information
from production to exports to regulation is needed, he added.
"WSO will focus on sustainability of spice production
vis-a-vis rising global demand and harmonisation of all the
global regulatory policies on spices," All India Spice
Exporters Forum (AISEF) Chairman Jeemon Korah told PTI.
With demand for spices increasing as new range of food
applications are being launched and use of spices in other
products like pharma, Korah, who is also the founding member
of WSO said.
Though the production of spices is increasing at an
year-on-year basis, yet it is still insufficient to match the
demands, he said, adding that issues of demand and supply will
be one of the core areas for WSO.
"Another major role that this organisation will look
at is to create awareness among the producing and exporting
countries regarding food safety policies, demand-supply
situation and value addition," Kuruvilla said.
Explaining the issue of food safety regulations, he
said various consuming countries in Europe and America are
bringing in food safety norms, which make things difficult for
producing countries to meet.
"When a country brings a regulation regarding food
safety and standard of spices, the information takes a lot of
time to reach the producing countries, which leaves little
time with the producer to adjust according to the guidelines
and this results in huge losses," he explained.
Spice Board, the government body for the development
and promotion of Indian spices has welcomed the creation of
WSO.
"Spice Board welcomes such an initiative and will
extend all possible help for the setting up such an
organisation," Spice Board Chairman V J Kurian told PTI.
A common platform globally needs to be created to
address policies and legislations related to spices, he added.
"Various proposals have been discussed regarding the
creation of this organisation," Kurian said.