Spices Board-Promotion of Organic Farming

Due to favorable climatic conditions and other geographical factors, India has dominated global spice production. Our country produces approximately 75% of the world's spices. The Spices Board was formed in order to maintain and increase this share. Its mission is to develop and promote Indian spices in both domestic and international markets.

Spices Board's Goals and Activities

The spice board's main goals are as follows:

Encourage research and development in the spice industry.
Improving and monitoring spice quality
Encourage the production of spices in the northeast.
Provide assistance for spice exports.

Organic Farming Promotion

To achieve its goals, the Spices Board engages in the following activities:

Spice farmers must register and be licensed.
Certification to improve quality control
Spice growers receive monetary assistance.
Infrastructure construction
Best practices in spice production are being disseminated.
Help spice exporters and importers

Overview of the Scheme

Given the growing demand for organic produce, the Spices Board is implementing a program to promote organic farming. As the world's largest producer, exporter, and consumer of spices, there is plenty of room for organic production in this sector. This program intends to:

Provide facilities to spice farms to aid in the organic production of spices.
Educate farmers on the advantages of organic farming.
Assist them in obtaining the necessary certification for marketing organic produce.
Allow for the addition of value to organically grown spices.

At a Glance: Major Components

The Organic Farming Promotion Program consists of seven major components:

Organic spice cultivation: Financial assistance is available to cover a portion of the production costs for some identified spices grown organically.
Assistance for Internal Control System (ICS) groups: These organizations are tasked with informing growers about organic farming techniques and monitoring their adoption. Financial assistance is provided for ICS maintenance costs.
Organic certification: Financial assistance is available for spice farms and spice processing units to cover organic certification costs.

Vermicomposting units: Manure for improving soil fertility is essential for increased spice yield and quality. Growers can receive financial assistance for vermicomposting facilities through this component.

Bio agent production unit: Bio agents are used in organic farming to control pest spread instead of chemicals. Financial assistance is available for the establishment of production, training, and demonstration units for biocontrol agents such as Trichoderma, Pseudomonas, Verticillium, Beauveria, and EPN.

Organic seed bank: These organizations aim to increase the availability of planting materials such as seeds. Growers can easily obtain high-quality seeds from seed banks. The emphasis is on indigenous herbal spices such as turmeric and ginger.

Organic value addition units: Value addition improves the exportability of products. The goal is to establish processing plants near spice farms.

Criteria for Eligibility

The following are the eligibility conditions for receiving assistance under the promotion of the organic farming program, broken down by component:

Spice growers are eligible for organic cultivation.
Assistance from the ICS group: Spice Grower organizations may apply under this component.
Organic certification: The following organizations may apply:
Groups of spice farmers or processors
Spice sector non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

Cooperative organizations

Other associations in the industry

Vermicomposting units: Growers can apply to have units installed in their spice gardens.

Bio agent production unit: Applicants must have relevant technical skills and a track record. The following organizations are eligible:
NGOs working in the sector
Farmer Self-Help Organizations (SHGs)
Spice grower organizations

Any other spice farmer organization

Individual farmers of indigenous ginger, turmeric, and herbal spice varieties who already have organic certificates are eligible for the organic seed bank.

Unit of value addition: Applicants must have a valid scope certificate for C1/C2/C3 organic production to be eligible. They could be entities such as: