GUWAHATI:
The Spices Board will hold a two-day national seminar and a buyer-seller meet (BSM) here on February 21 and 22 to formulate strategies for strengthening the supply chain of spices across the country and facilitate sustainable development of the sector.
Spices Board Chairman Dr A. Jayathilak said the event would serve as a platform for the buyers and sellers of spice industry to establish effective market linkages, promote indigenous spice varieties of the north-east states and draw a roadmap for the development of spices in the region. The indigenous spice varieties like large cardamom, Lakadong turmeric, bird’s eye chilli, bhut jalokia etc., will be featured and promoted at the BSM, the fourth such event to in the region to be held at NEDFi Convention Centre, Ganeshguri, Guwahati.
“Apart from this, the event will help disseminate knowledge in areas such as improved production and post-harvest technologies in spices and identification of gaps in cultivation, processing and marketing,” Dr Jayathilak pointed out.
Since the North-Eastern region is home to a variety of high-value indigenous spices with vast commercial applications, it becomes imperative to tap the potential which will be of immense help in developing the supply chain of spices across the country, he said.
The national seminar is supported by Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). Resource persons from Central and state institutes, senior officers of state Horticulture and Agriculture Departments, exporters and traders from across the country, progressive farmers, growers groups and NGOs, and processors from all the north-east states will attend the sessions.
Small cardamom farmer groups from Kerala are also participating in the market linkage programme for cardamom scheduled on February 22.
