Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2023 announced the setting up of the National Turmeric Board after which the Government of India notified the same to focus on the development and growth of turmeric and turmeric products in the country. Finally on 14th of January 2025, the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal inaugurated the National Turmeric Board in the presence of BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri who welcomed him with a garland made of turmeric horns.
The Board will be located in Nizamabad, Telangana which is a key turmeric producing district in the country. The demand for a Turmeric Board was an effort that was ongoing for the past four decades and received a boost with the current BJP MP from Nizamabad Arvind Dharmapuri staunchly voicing the issue on behalf of the turmeric farmers with the Prime Minister.
15th of January 2025 also saw the release of “AMWAY-ICRIER” report aptly titled “Making India the Global Hub for Turmeric” that lays down the issues as well as the way forward that India should undertake.
Turmeric as we all know is also called the ‘Golden Spice of India’. The interesting part about turmeric is its multi-use case as it can be consumed as a vegetable, medicine, nutraceutical, skincare or through cosmetics due to its preventive, therapeutic, and curative properties besides having been integral to Indian and South Asian cuisines. Turmeric is also an essential part of every spiritual, devotional, religious and marriage rituals as well as a component in dyes and colours.
The AMWAY-ICRIER report states that rising awareness of curcumin’s medicinal benefits has also led to an increase in turmeric demand. In 2023, the global turmeric market was valued at USD 587 million, with exports accounting for USD 320 million. The export value increased by 13.56 per cent between 2017 and 2023.
Turmeric is currently produced in various regions, such as Africa (Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ethiopia), Asia (China), South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar) and South America (Brazil, Peru), with these regions also being its largest consumers.
India’s turmeric production and cultivation across states has undergone significant changes in the past decade. Some of the top turmeric-producing states include Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. Over 30 varieties of turmeric are cultivated in India across more than 20 states, with both local and improved varieties developed by agricultural research institutions. High-curcumin variants like Alleppey and Lakadong turmeric are gaining international attention for their medicinal benefits.
The report further states that around 65 per cent of turmeric farmers sell their produce through traders and commission agents who buy it by paying cash. Traders often offer advance payments, which can lead to dependency and the risk of exploitation. Only 19.88 per cent of farmers access e-NAM/Agricultural Produce & Livestock Market Committees (APMCs), some due to low awareness and others due to complex processes or lack of finance. Only 3.51 per cent of farmers choose to use FPOs/co-operatives for the FPOs’ ability to access markets, get a better price for the farmers, and to avoid otherwise delayed payments.
Emerging markets like the US and the EU are rapidly adopting turmeric for purposes of nutraceuticals and food applications, as consumers seek healthier options. The report also highlights that India, as the leading producer, consumer and exporter, accounted for 73.40 per cent of global production in FY 2022-23. India’s export value rose from USD 182.53 million (2017) to USD 212.65 million (2023). The demand for high-curcumin and organic varieties of turmeric has also been rising because of its diverse end-uses and affordability. Developed markets like the EU and the USA are emerging as key hubs for high-quality turmeric that meets stringent SPS and quality standards.
Given this context, India can become a turmeric production hub and widen its consumer base by expanding exports to destination countries other than South Asia.
Therefore, with the setting up of the National Turmeric Board, India can strive towards ensuring quality standards, traceability, and streamline certification and testing processes which are the expectations of importing countries and an evolving consumer market. Once domestic quality and standards are set, signing agreements with major export markets to recognize these standards can make compliance easier and increase trade in both fresh and processed turmeric.
The report also states that subsidies should ideally be linked to help develop high-end product value chains backed by third-party certification, encouragement for cultivation of high curcumin varieties, research and development (R&D) for creating value-added turmeric products, and promoting GI-certified products. Investments in post-harvest infrastructure, scaling up turmeric FPOs, and promoting knowledge sharing through R&D and global collaborations are crucial for maintaining competitiveness.
Therefore, promoting high-curcumin varieties and leveraging international platforms can strengthen India’s position as a leading turmeric exporter besides meeting the new surging demand for high quality curcumin products by the health conscious Gen-Z.
However, there are certain roadblocks to India’s leadership in turmeric production which the new Turmeric Board should aim to fix. Currently only 10 per cent of turmeric production meets the high curcumin content required by globally and even India’s emerging nutraceutical market. Fragmented supply chains, lack of uniform quality of produce, lack of access to high-quality inputs, gaps in testing and certification, lack of traceability, targeted subsidies and support, and infrastructure gaps are some of the issues that the turmeric board should address immediately. There are different regulatory bodies for domestic markets and exports, besides multiple regulations in the domestic market depending on end use.
Building capabilities of farmers, processors, and exporters can greatly improve the industry’s global competitiveness. By aligning production practices with international benchmarks and nurturing a collaborative ecosystem, India can solidify its position as a reliable and preferred supplier of high-quality turmeric in the global market.
The Author is CEO Indiatech.org