Growth performance of Indian spice trade

The present study examined the growth performance of Indian spice trade from 199596 to 2016-17. Based on National Horticulture Mission (NHM), the total study period was divided into two periods i.e. pre-NHM and post-NHM periods. The compound growth rate and cuddy-della valle indices were employed to determine the growth rate and instability in trade of spices, respectively. The findings revealed that growth rate was the highest in spices as compared to agricultural commodities in both exports and imports. The spices share in exports increased from nearly four per cent to eight per cent of total agricultural exports during the span of 22 years. The study also found that chilli is the largest exporting spice and pepper is the largest importing spice in the country. Besides this, compound growth rate of almost all the major spices in India registered positive growth rate in both export and import coupled with higher instability indices in these commodities. Hence, appropriate measures may be taken to increase the spices exports from the country.