This, when compared to the same period in the last fiscal shows a decline of 7 per cent in quantity. During April-July, last year the exports of spices stood at 82,730 tonne. However, despite the decrease in exports, the value of exports this year during the same period is up by 12 per cent, registering an increase of 7 per cent in value terms.

A look at the export earnings for the first four months of the current fiscal shows that pepper contributed the maximum at 49 per cent followed by spice oils and oleoresins (12 per cent) and chilli (12 per cent). As per the latest figures compiled by the spices board for the period April-July 1999, the export of pepper, cardamom (large) and chilli is higher, both in terms of quantity and value as compared with that of the same period last year.

The exports of pepperduring April-July, 1999, was 17,000 tonne valued at Rs 313.80 crore as against 13,309 tonne valued at Rs 229.03 crore in April-July 1998. The average FOB unit price realised during April-July 1999 is Rs 184.59 per kg against 172.09 per kg in April-July 1998.

As against the tentative target for the period 1999-2000, the achievement during April-July 1999 is 35 per cent in quantity and 37 per cent in value.Pepper is the only spice where export growth has been at par with that of the existing global trend. Brazil, India, Indonesia and Malaysia, the four largest pepper exporting countries in the world, exported as much as 64,153 tonne during January to July this year, an increase of 29 per cent over the same period in the previous year.

The spices that have shown a decline in quantity and value are: ginger, coriander, cumin, celery, fennel, fenugreek, garlic and spice oleoresins, among others. However, small cardamom, turmeric, curry powders and mint oils, have registered marginal increases.

The reasons forthe decline in the exports of small cardamom and ginger are the non-availability of exportable quantity and higher prices, said the Spices Board. The production of Indian ginger was comparatively low in the last fiscal and the prices of the spice were also high. On the other hand, Chinese, Nigerian and Thailand ginger were sold at lower prices.

As far as coriander was concerned, India did not do well as the importers preferred to the spice from Morocco, Romania, Canada and Bulgaria. This is due to the better quality of the spice offered by these countries, coupled with relatively low prices.

Due to low production, which resulted in high prices, importers of cumin, celery, fennel, fenugreek and garlic, shifted their focus to other markets.According to the International Trade Centre, Geneva, India accounts for 50 per cent of world's spice exports, amounting to 25 per cent in value terms. The sub-continent exports to 156 countries in the world. "There is a need to shift from export of what is produced toproducing for exports. We are not producing the varieties required abroad. We produce, consume and presume that whatever is left over has to be exported and there are people ready to buy our products. If we continue to do so, we will not have buyers who are committed to our country and tomorrow other countries may emerge as better producers," said V Jayashankar, chairman, Spices Board.