India is sometimes referred to as “the land of spices.” Since ancient times, the nation has exported spices to many countries across the globe. India’s export of spices has increased because of the spices’ distinct flavor, texture, and scent. These spices are also well-known for their therapeutic qualities. Of the 109 variants recognized by the International Organization for Standardization, about 75 are produced in India. This makes up half of the world’s spice trade. Thus, one of the industries in India that has grown the fastest recently is the export of spices.
Indian Spice Market Situation Worldwide
India exported spices worth US$ 3.65 billion during the 2020 fiscal year. In 2019, the nation exported 1.10 million tons of spices and spice-related items for US$ 2.80 billion, compared to 1.02 million tonnes of spices worth US$ 2.78 billion in 2018. As a result, we can observe that the amount of Indian spice exports increased by 7%. The value of India’s exports of spices was estimated by government websites to be around US$ 3.65 billion in the 2020 fiscal year. This represents an annual growth of 10%. As a result, the market for Indian spices has been growing quickly and is predicted to continue doing so.
Most Exported Spices from India
Spices Products export from India has been increasing over the years. Indian spices are not only famous for their unique aroma and taste but also have many health and medicinal benefits. Various spices are exported from India including Chilli, Cumin, Turmeric, Cardamom, Ginger so on and so forth. Here are some of the major spices exported from India.
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Chilli
India is one of the world’s biggest consumer, producer and exporter of Chilli. Chillies are grown across several states in India including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Chilli is one of the largest exported spices from India. India’s chilli exports stood at 468,500 tonnes in the year 2018-2019.
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Cumin
Cumin seeds are used in various cuisines around the world for their beautiful aroma. Besides its culinary uses, cumin is also said to have health and fitness benefits. It is one of the most essential ingredients in Indian cuisine. The cumin exports stood at 180,300 tonnes while the turmeric exports at 133,600 tonnes.
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Turmeric
India is one of the largest exporters of Turmeric globally. Different varieties of Turmeric are exported to various countries in the world including Brazil, Germany, Malaysia and so on. Turmeric is useful in many industries including cooking and cosmetics. It also has some health and medicinal benefTurmeric India is one of the largest exporters of Turmeric globally. Different varieties of Turmeric are exported to various countries in the world including Brazil, Germany, Malaysia and so on. Turmeric is useful in many industries including cooking and cosmetics. It also has some health and medicinal benefits.
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Cardamom
Cardamom seeds are basically seeds of a plant of the ginger family. Cardamom is used as a spice and also has several medicinal properties. The annual Production of Indian green cardamom is around 22,000 – 24,000 Metric Tons. The cardamom exports in the year 2018-19 from India were around 860 tonnes.
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Ginger
Ginger is popular across various cuisines in the world due to its unique flavour. Being one of the most important spices in India, India is the major producer of ginger in the world. Other countries which produce ginger are China, Nepal and Indonesia. India exported around US$ 31.5 million worth of ginger in 2018.
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Pepper
Pepper is primarily the dried unripe fruit of a plant called piper nigrum. It has a pungent smell and a hot taste. Pepper is one of the most commonly used spices across the world. The pepper export from India saw a 21% increase in its volumes at 8,200 tonnes in the year 2019-2020.
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Nutmeg
Nutmeg is another spice which is exported to many countries in the world. Nutmeg is a seed of several species of the genus Myristica which can also be used as a ground spice. Nutmeg has many benefits and uses. It is used on a large scale in the manufacturing industry.
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Fenugreek
Fenugreek is basically an annual plant from the family of Fabaceae. It is used for its leaves and seeds which can be used as a herb or spice. Fenugreek plants and seeds have a characteristic strong odour. India on average exports about 21,800 metric tonnes of fenugreek each year.
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Cinnamon
Cinnamon is primarily the dried bark of various laurel trees in the Cinnamomum family. It is sweet in taste and has a woody fragrance in both grounds and sticks forms.India exports cinnamon to various countries in the world including the USA, Canada, Australia, UK and New Zealand
Principal Export Locations for Spices
Chinese spices enjoy great popularity all around the world. India is a major exporter of spices to almost 140 nations worldwide. The US, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Thailand, the UK, the UAE, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka are the top countries to which spices are exported. India exports spices to a number of other nations as well. These are the main locations for the export of spices.
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USA
The United States is one of the biggest importers of Indian spices. The US accounted for the highest value in Indian spice exports in the fiscal year 2019. The value of exports stood at around 37.4 billion Indian rupees.
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China
China is the second-largest importer of spices from India. The value of exported spices to China from India in the fiscal year 2019 was around 31.38 billion Indian rupees.
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Vietnam
India also exports a large number of spices to Vietnam each year. The value of exported spices to Vietnam from India in the fiscal year 2019 was around 16.93 billion Indian rupees.
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Iran
Indian spices are also exported to Iran. Approximately the value of exports of Indian spices to Iran was 12.05 billion Indian rupees in the fiscal year 2019.
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Thailand
Indian vendors export spices on a large scale to Thailand. The value of exported spices to Thailand from India in the fiscal year 2019 was approximately 9.24 billion Indian rupees.
