On September 16, Union Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted the importance that the recently launched India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor brings to India’s spices industry. The Minister was addressing the 14th World Spice Congress being held at Navi Mumbai and said, “The India -Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor is an appropriate opportunity for us to bring back the glory of the old Spice Route.” 

The Minister further urged the spice industry to add value addition to exports. He urged the industry stakeholders to work together to achieve a target of 10 billion dollars for exports by 2030 from the current 4 billion.

The Minister pointed out that 35 million people of Indian origin residing across the world should be made brand ambassadors to encourage increased consumption of spices across the world.

The land of spices, as India is often referred to, has been a global leader in the production and export of a wide variety of spices for centuries. While addressing the Minister said, “The story of Indian spices should be talked about and written about all over the world. Let us see how our grandmother’s remedies can be remedies for the world. Let's make India the preferred source of spices and capture the imagination of the rest of the world.”

The Minister asserted the importance of creating a certified brand value for Indian spices and also urged the spice industry to strive towards inclusivity and ensure support for farmers for adequate production.

Notably, the 14th Congress edition witnessed participation from over 1000 delegates from India and across the world. The World Spice Congress (WSC) is the conglomeration of the global spice industry and is organised under the leadership of the Spices Board, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.