Spices Board of India

What Spices Board of India does

Spices Board of India is a statutory body constituted in 1987 under the Spices Board Act 1986, operating under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Headquartered in Ernakulam (Cochin), Kerala, it holds exclusive statutory authority over the production and development of cardamom and the export promotion of 52 scheduled spices listed in the Act. The Board regulates exporters through the Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES) and licenses cardamom dealers and auctioneers under the Cardamom (Licensing and Marketing) Rules 1987.

Its operating model is built on three pillars: development (farmer support, productivity programmes, planting material and bioagent supply through ICRI's Regional Research Station at Tadong, Sikkim); marketing (eight crop-specific Spices Parks providing processing, grading, packing, steam sterilization and storage infrastructure; e-Auction platforms at Puttady and Bodinaykanur for small/large cardamom; mandatory pre-shipment inspection through the Export Support System); and research/quality (seven NABL-accredited, ISO-certified Quality Evaluation Laboratories with LC MS/MS, GC MS/MS, HPLC and automated microbiological equipment; Indian Cardamom Research Institute focused on germplasm conservation, biotechnology and integrated pest management). The Board has secured Geographical Indication registrations for Malabar Pepper, Alleppey Green Cardamom, Coorg Green Cardamom, Guntur Sannam Chilli and Byadagi Chilli, and chairs ISO TC34/SC7 while hosting the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs secretariat.

Revenue is generated primarily through licence fees (Rs. 11,800–17,700 per three-year block for exporters and cardamom licensees), analytical services from the QEL network, low-priced publications (Spice India monthly at Rs. 120/year, Spice Market Weekly, Foreign Trade Enquiry Bulletin at Rs. 600/year, international subscriptions at US$ 10/year) and small-value research inputs (cardamom suckers Rs. 50/unit, Trichoderma Rs. 160/litre). The primary customer segment is small and marginal spice growers across Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and the North Eastern states; secondary segments are licensed exporters, auctioneers and dealers. As a government entity, the Board's operating budget is principally sustained by Government of India allocations rather than commercial revenue, with marketing reach extended internationally through trade fair participation in the USA, France, Germany and the UK.

Name

Spices Board of India

Legal name

Spices Board India

Website

https://indianspices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Spices Board of India is a Government of India statutory body overseeing cardamom development and export promotion of 52 scheduled spices. It serves spice growers, exporters, and dealers through licensing, NABL-accredited lab testing, Spices Parks, research, and digital auction platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spice Export Promotion and Agricultural Commodity Development

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Whole Spices (Seeds, Pods, Bark, Roots) (AFAJANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ground & Powdered Spices (AFAJANAB), Ethnic Spices, Herbs & Seasonings Wholesale (AFAIAIAF), Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution (CRAOABAK)

Keywords

• Spice export promotion
• Quality evaluation laboratories
• Cardamom auction services
• Exporter registration licensing
• Agricultural commodity development

Headquarters

HQ city

Cochin

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Exporter Registration Fees: Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES) - Manufacturer Exporter Licence at Rs. 15,000 + 18% GST; Merchant Exporter Licence at Rs. 10,000 + 18% GST. Certificates are issued for a block period of three years.
2. Cardamom Licensing: Cardamom Dealer Licence (CDL) and Cardamom Auctioneer Licence issued at Rs. 10,000 + 18% GST after unit/godown inspection.
3. Quality Evaluation Laboratory Services: Analytical services for the Indian Spice Industry including mandatory inspection of consignments, testing for physical, chemical and microbial parameters including pesticide residues and aflatoxin.
4. Publication Sales: Spice India monthly journal published in multiple languages (English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali) with subscription rates of Rs. 120/year for monthly publications and Rs. 40/year for quarterly. International subscription at US$ 10 per annum.
5. Research Services: Soil testing, quality planting material supply (cardamom suckers at Rs. 50/unit, black pepper at Rs. 20/plant), bioagent supply (Trichoderma at Rs. 160/litre, Pseudomonas at Rs. 200/litre), disease diagnostics, and training programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Spices Board India is a government statutory body constituted under the Spices Board Act 1986 that promotes the development of cardamom production and the export of 52 scheduled spices. It delivers its mandate through exporter registration (CRES) licensing, cardamom dealer and auctioneer licensing, NABL-accredited Quality Evaluation Laboratory testing, eight Spices Parks for shared processing infrastructure, the Indian Cardamom Research Institute, electronic auctions for cardamom trading, and publications such as Spice India Monthly and Spice Market Weekly.

Product overview

Spices Board of India operates as the flagship government organization for development and worldwide promotion of Indian spices under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Board manages a comprehensive portfolio including the Spice Catalogue covering 52 spices (cardamom, pepper, chilli, turmeric, ginger, vanilla, saffron, and others), Quality Evaluation Laboratory services with NABL-accredited testing facilities, Export Registration (CRES) for exporters, Cardamom e-Auction System for domestic trading, eight Spices Parks providing processing infrastructure, Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) for R&D, publications including Spice India Monthly and Spice Market Weekly, and innovative products like Spices Dyed Garments. The portfolio is structured around three core pillars: development (farmer support, productivity programs), marketing (export promotion, trade facilitation, quality certification), and research (cardamom improvement programs).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spice India: Monthly journal published by Spices Board covering cultivation methods, post-harvest technology, research and development
• Spice Market Weekly
• CardSApp
• FLAVOURIT

Products and services

• Quality Evaluation Laboratory (QEL) Services NABL-accredited laboratory testing services for exporters and the Indian spice industry, covering physical, chemical, and microbial parameters including pesticide residues, aflatoxin, and heavy metals in spices and spice products. Available at seven locations across India, the labs support mandatory inspection of export consignments and routine third-party testing.
• Exporter Registration (CRES) Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES), a mandatory licence for businesses exporting Indian spices. Issued in two tiers - Manufacturer Exporter Licence (Rs. 15,000 + GST) and Merchant Exporter Licence (Rs. 10,000 + GST) - for a three-year block period.
• Cardamom e-Auction System Electronic auction platform for cardamom trading operated at Puttady and Bodinaykanur E-auction centres, providing transparent price discovery, live auction channels, auction schedules, and real-time market price information for small and large cardamom.
• Spices Parks Eight crop-specific Spices Parks established across major spice growing and marketing centres in India, providing shared infrastructure for cleaning, grading, packing, steam sterilization, value addition, and storage of spices for farmers and exporters.
• Indian Cardamom Research Institute (ICRI) Research institute focused on increasing productivity and improving quality of cardamom through crop improvement (germplasm conservation, varietal improvement), biotechnology (genetic advancement, tissue culture), crop production, crop protection, disease diagnostics, and transfer of technology programs. Also operates a Regional Research Station for Large Cardamom in Tadong, Gangtok focused on the North East Region.
• Spice India Monthly Publication Monthly journal published in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada (with quarterly editions in Telugu and Nepali), covering cultivation methods, post-harvest technology, R&D, and international price information. Available by annual subscription at Rs. 120/year, with a five-year bundle at Rs. 500, and international subscriptions at US$ 10 per annum.
• Spice Market Weekly Weekly trade publication providing price updates, market intelligence, and trade information for the Indian spice industry.
• Cardamom Auctioneer Licensing Cardamom Auctioneer Licence issued under Cardamom (Licensing and Marketing) Rules 1987 at Rs. 10,000 plus GST after unit/godown inspection, granting the right to auction cardamom at authorised centres.
• Spice Catalogue Comprehensive reference catalogue of 52 spices under the Board's purview, including cardamom, pepper, chilli, turmeric, ginger, vanilla, and saffron. Each entry covers botanical names, properties, commercial parts, origins, uses, and regional names.
• Export Support System (ESS) Online platform for registered spice exporters to submit mandatory sampling requests, schedule stuffing inspections, and file quarterly export returns as required by Spices Board regulations.
• Spices Dyed Garments (Sugandha Vastra) Ayurvedic handloom garments dyed using spices and herbs, creating eco-friendly, micro-encapsulated herbal clothing with claimed medicinal properties. Developed under Spices Board's innovation initiatives.
• Cardamom Dealer Licensing (CDL) Cardamom Dealer Licence (CDL) issued at Rs. 10,000 plus GST after unit/godown inspection, granting businesses the right to deal in cardamom domestically under Cardamom (Licensing and Marketing) Rules 1987.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Pepper Community (IPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1987Spices Board participates in annual meetings, conferences and activities of the International Pepper Community, an intergovernmental organization for pepper. Specifications suggested by the Board and analytical methods proposed are incorporated in IPC specifications.
• Codex Alimentarius Commission / Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpices Board has established a Codex Cell which functions as the secretariat for the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH), hosted by India. The Board participates in Codex/IPC/BIS/ISO meetings and provides data for establishment of MRLs for pesticide residues.
• ISO Technical Committee TC34/SC7coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpices Board Director Research is Chair of ISO-TC34/SC7 committee which drafts ISO standards for spices, herbs and condiments. Board actively participates in harmonization of standards under various national/International agencies.
• APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLinked through National Programme for Organic Production for organic spices certification under APEDA's organic spices program.
• NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories)coreOthersQuality Evaluation Laboratories of Spices Board are accredited by NABL and certified under ISO Quality Management Systems for testing of customer samples for physical, chemical and microbial contaminants.
• State Agricultural/Horticultural DepartmentsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular conduct of quality improvement training programmes for farmers, officials of State Agri./Horti. Department, traders, members of NGOs for educating on scientific methods of pre and post-harvest & storage technologies.
• World Spice CongresscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBoard partners with World Spice Congress for industry events and trade promotion activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Rubber Board of India: Statutory commodity board for natural rubber under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Comparable in statutory structure, licensing, lab services and grower development programmes applied to a non-spice commodity.
• Tea Board of India: Statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry governing tea development and export promotion in India. Direct structural peer in regulatory model, licensing, lab infrastructure and auction/marketing functions applied to a different commodity.
• International Pepper Community (IPC): Intergovernmental organisation of pepper-producing countries. Spices Board is an active member; IPC operates as a regional standards and market information body comparable in function (standards harmonisation, statistics, trade promotion) though international rather than domestic.
• APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority): Indian government statutory body under the same Ministry of Commerce and Industry that promotes export of agricultural and processed foods. Closely comparable as a parallel commodity-specific export-promotion authority, with overlapping mandates on organic certification and FPO engagement.
• Coffee Board of India: Government statutory body for Indian coffee development and promotion. Comparable as a commodity board with R&D, quality evaluation labs, auctions and export promotion mandate under the same ministry.
• Coconut Development Board: Indian statutory body for coconut development and export promotion. Comparable regulatory and promotional mandate for a horticultural commodity, also under the same ministry.
• American Spice Trade Association (ASTA): US-based trade association representing the American spice industry on standards, advocacy and trade issues. Comparable as an industry body setting safety and quality standards and representing exporters, though organised as a private trade association rather than a statutory body.
• European Spice Association (ESA): European industry body representing the spice trade, particularly on regulatory and quality matters in the EU. Comparable to ASTA as a regional trade association whose standards-setting role intersects with the Spices Board's international standardisation work.
• National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX): Indian commodity derivatives exchange where spices (including cardamom) are traded. Comparable in providing price discovery and trading infrastructure for spices, with overlapping audience of growers, traders and exporters.
• FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India): India's apex food regulator. Overlapping authority on spice-related food safety standards and labelling; Board coordinates with FSSAI on quality and safety frameworks for Indian spices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spices_board
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcj0wKjXn-LZWcMXHrGJk5g
• Facebookfacebook.com/spicesboardindia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spices-board-india
• Instagraminstagram.com/spicesboardi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Spices Board of India