Recent adverse weather:

Spice industry not affected

Idunil Hewage

Export of spices from Sri Lanka has maintained its momentum in the world continually. However, Lankan spice industry sees a significant gap between export market demand and the local supply in terms of quality and quantity. Branding Sri Lankan spices in the international markets while capturing niche markets would have been identified as urgent needs for the betterment of the industry.

Sri Lanka is looking at markets in the European Union for value added products and Geographical Indicator Protected Spice. Countries such as Mexico, Gychillie Islands, Brazil, Madagascar and Egypt are to best markets.

“The total spice cultivation in the country has not been affected to a great extent due to the recent floods” Spices and Allied Products Producers’ and Traders Association Chairman Christopher Fernando said. “The best thing for the relevant authorities in the industry is to determine the condition that will be in areas of spice cultivation according to the geographical base,” he said.

However, the continuous rains punctuated by occasional sunshine have deprived the plants of flowering, which in turn has reduced the output by around 50 percent from the previous season, especially cloves, pepper, cardamom and nutmeg. But the outlook is still positive, the reason being spices are seasoning for food that come from the bark, buds, or flower parts, fruits, seeds or stems of various aromatic plants and trees, he said. The increased higher power tariff in the country has impact on the manufacturing point of the spices. However, it still has not created a bigger impact on the spice industry. Giving some kind of special concessionary rates for the long-term running of the industry including other agricultural products will have to take place immediately.

Fernando said no Sri Lankan geographical indications has yet been regularized nationally, regionally or internationally especially on Ceylon cinnamon. If this could have been initiated much earlier, that will give legal protection, and higher prices through price premiums. “There is a lot of potential for the spice industry in the country after opening up of the Northern and the Eastern parts of the country. However it is vital to verify the variety of spices, which will be suit these areas through the Export Agriculture Department,” he said.