The COVID pandemic has brought a paradigm shift in many spheres of activity. The Corona Crisis situation and the associated lockdown measures saw plummeting prices of vegetables, value chain systems disrupted, and difficult to recover the input cost. But the growth in spice exports remained robust amidst the pandemic. The demand for spices across the globe increased astonishingly especially as the immunity-boosting properties of spices gained wider recognition and validation.
India accounts for 75 of the 109 varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and accounts for half of the global trading in spices. Growing demand from the emerging segment of nutraceuticals, food and beverage industries are driving the global consumption of Indian spices further up. Researchers and Scientists at IISR are working to develop new spice cultivars with desirable production traits and industrial use that will help to capture the market and revitalize the industry.
At this juncture “Agriculture World”, the global magazine that focuses on Sustainability in Agriculture collaborates with one of the greatest Institutions in India, The ICAR-IISR to analyze the spice sector in India and understand in depth what helped retain the place of eminence as “land of spices”. ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR), Kozhikode, Kerala, India, is a premier organization involved in research on spices. ICAR-IISR has immensely contributed towards enhancing the productivity and improving the quality of spices by developing high yielding varieties and novel technologies. Efforts for technology commercialization is also given a great impetus at the respected Institute.
High Performing Spice Varieties for Industrial Use and Neutraceuticals by Prasanth and associates enlists the different varieties that are improved through breeding techniques. Technological Innovations in Spice Production written by V Srinivasan and associates describe the Innovations in Varietal Development, Innovations in Planting Material Production, Innovations in Bioagent Input Delivery and Innovations in Post Harvest Technology.
Turmeric: The Yellow Spice by Jayasree and Anees explains the increasing demand for spice Turmeric and its consumption pattern and Importance and diversified uses. Reinforcing Entrepreneurial Talent in Spices Sector by Sheeja and associates reiterates the Technology commercialization at ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode. They enlist several technologies that were developed at IISR those were instrumental in enhancing income and reducing the drudgery of farmers.
A Cooperative Success Model in Turmeric by Lijo Thomas outlines the story of an innovative interventions and collective action of a consortium of primary cooperative societies in Thrissur district of Kerala. Sharon Aravind and associates elaborates on Spice Farming and Processing for Livelihood Improvement of Tribal Community at Visakhapatnam. In order to improve the livelihood status of the tribals, AICRPS in collaboration with ICAR- IISR, Kozhikode, has motivated the farmers to adopt various technologies and Organic farming practices to increase production of value added products and branding for entrepreneurship development.
Lijo Thomas and associates elaborates on the Spice Economy amidst the Pandemic perspective The article explains how the growth in spice exports remained robust amidst the pandemic and how the demand for spices across the globe increased.
We thank IISR, the Director, Senior Scientists and Scientists who worked behind this October Special Issue to make it a huge success. Agriculture World is striving hard to bring before you a plethora of articles from well known and recognized ICAR institutes and Scientists too to make the farming community aware of the research being undertaken in the field of Agriculture in the respective Organizations. We hope to have much collaboration in future with ICAR Institutes and will try bringing them their work in sustainability for our readers.
