Annual subscription Rs. 50/-

Vol. 21No. 11

November 2008

SPICEINDIA

A JOURNAL DEVOTEDTO THE PROMOTION OFINDIAN SPICE INDUSTRY

IN NOVEMBER ISSUE

SPICES BOARDMinistry of Commerce & Industry

Government of IndiaSugandha Bhavan

P.B. No. 2277Palarivattom P.O.Cochin - 682 025

No. 11Vol. XXI NOVEMBER-2008

Chairman : V.J. Kurian I.A.S.Chief Editor : Dr. P.S. Sreekantan Thampi

Deputy Director (Publicity)Editor : S. PalanichamyPublisher : V.K. Krishnan Nair

(Secretary)

Editorial Advisory CommitteeS. Kannan

Director (Marketing)Dr. J. Thomas

Director (Research)R. CHANDRASEKHAR

Director (Development)SPICE INDIA

PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY INENGLISH, MALAYALAM, TAMIL, KANNADA

TELUGU, HINDI AND NEPALI

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the Secretary, Spices Board, Cochin

The views expressed by the contributors are notnecessarily those of the Spices Board

Tel : 0484-2333610-616, 2347965Fax : 0484-2331429-2334429E-mail : spicesboard@vsnl.comWebsite : www.indianspices.com

Printed at :Niseema Printers & Publishers, Kochi-18

Tel: 0484-2403760

GARLIC AS A PESTICIDEK.Prakasan 4

GRAINS OF PARADISEKate Hemphill 6

GINGER IN GUYANAB.Sasikumar 7

PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OFINDIAN PAPRIKA

A.G. Mathew 9

MENTHE TO MENTHA THE STORY OF MINTP. Rajeev 14

HEALTH BENEFITS OF SPICESDr. K.N. Pushpakumariand S.Pramod 18

YELLOW SPOTTED GREENGRASSHOPPERS IN CARDAMOMDo Not Panic

S.S.Chandrasekar, S.Varadarasan,M.A. Ansar Ali and B.Gopakumar 24

EVENTS 26

CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FORIMPORTANT SPICES-DECEMBER 2008 36

SPICES STATISTICS-OCTOBER 2008 41

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GARLIC AS APESTICIDE

K.PrakasanDepartment of Zoology,

University of CalicutCalicut University P.O. ñ 673 635

KeralaE.Mail: drprakasam@rediffmail.com

Garlic (Allium sativum)has long been knownto have uses in pest

control for it repellent effects.Garlic’s primary use is inflavouring foods. There isstrong evidence to show it hasgreat medicinal value for itsantibiotic, antibacterial,anticoagulant, and antisepticproperties (it was called Russianpenicillin in World War I and II)and it is often used as a cold,sore throat, and flu remedy.

Used as pesticide garlic has anon-toxic mode of action. Garlicis not persistent in theenvironment since it degradesrapidly, and has had no adverseeffects on humans. Formulatedas a powder, distilled extractfrom garlic cloves, or as an oilspray, garlic may be useful forpest control in some situations,however it should not be usedas a general use pesticide, sinceit may have adverse effects onbeneficial insects.

Garlic oil exhibitsantibacterial antifungal,amebicidal and insecticidalqualities. Garlic oils kill pestinsects and some pathogensfamiliar to our gardens.Organicgardeners have long beenfamiliar with the repellent ortoxic affect of garlic oil on pests.When it is combined withmineral oil and pure castilesoap, it becomes and effectiveinsecticide. Some studies alsosuggest that a garlic oil spray

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has fungicidal properties.Repellent, insecticidal,nematicidal, fungicidal andantibiotic properties of garlichas proved scientifically. Fewscientifically provedi n s e c t i c i d e / p e s t i c i d epreparations by using garlicand their target pests weredescribed as follows.

1. Garlic bulb extracts

Materials:

85 grams of chopped garlic

50 ml of mineral oil (keroseneor vegetable oil)

10ml of soap

950 ml of water

Bottle container

Method of preparation:

Add chopped garlic tovegetable oil. Allow mixture tostand for 24 hours. Add waterand stir in the soap. Store inbottle container.

How to use:

Dilute one part of theemulsion with 19 parts of water( for example 50ml of emulsionto 950 ml of water). Shake wellbefore spraying. Spraythoroughly on the infestedplant, preferably early in themorning.

Target pest:

Bollworm, Armyworm,

Cotton strainer, Onion thrips,Potato tuber moth, Rootknotnematode, Sugarcane borer,Bacterial diseases, AnthracnoseDowny mildew, Rice blast,Black spots Blights, Fruit rots,Mildew Rusts (Vijayalakshmi etal, 1999)

2.Garlic Oil spray

Materials: 100 grams of garlic

2 table spoon of mineral oil

10.5 liters of water

10ml of soap

Covered container

Methods of preparation:

Chop garlic finely. Soakgarlic in mineral oil for a day.Add half liter of water and soap.Blend well by stirringthoroughly.

How to use:

Dilute the filtrate with 10liters of water. Fill the sprayer.Shake sprayer fromtime to time to avoidoil from floating.Spray on the infestedplant thoroughly.

Target pests:

Cabbage worm.Leafhoppers, Squashbugs, Whitefloy(Prakash and Rao,1997)

3.Garlic Oil emulsion:

Materials:

50ml of garlic oil

950 ml of water

One ml of soap

Methods of preparation:

Add soap to oil. Blend wellby stirring thoroughly. Addwater. Stir.

How to use:

To prevent oil fromfloating, immediately sprayextract on infested plants andshake sprayer from time to time.Spray early in the morning orlate afternoon.

Target pests:

Bollworm,Potato tubermoth, Rice blast, Rice brownleaf spot, Root knot nematode

( Vijayalakshmi, et al 1999)

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GRAINS OFPARADISE

Kate Hemphill

Kate Hemphill is a chef andproprietor of a cooking school in

London, Love to Cook. She is thedaughter of spice expert Ian

ëHerbieí Hemphill and representsHerbieís Spices in the UK.

www.lovetocook.co.ukwww.herbies.com.au

Grains of Paradise arethe seeds from a plantthat is a member of the

ginger and cardamom family,although nowhere near as wellknown. Similar to cardamom,flowers emerge from the leafyshrub, bearing long red fruitswhich contain the seeds whichare cultivated. The taste isinitially pine-like, then pepperyand hot with a lingeringcamphorous flavour.

Also known as Meleguetapepper, grains of paradise areindigenous to the West Coast ofAfrica, parts of which have beenknown as the ‘Grain Coast’ and‘Pepper Coast’ after this spice.Between the 13th and 15th

century, grains of paradisefound popularity in Europe asexplorers had yet to find a seapassage to India to discoverpepper.

Grains of paradise have

been used medicinally, to spicewine and spirits, and mostcommonly used as you woulduse pepper to flavour food.Since there isn’t any organisedcultivation, procuring grains ofparadise can be tricky, butworth the effort. To make areasonable substitute, poundtogether in a mortar and pestlesix seeds from a cardamom pod,four black peppercorns and onemountain pepperberry.

Some cooking suggestionsfor tamarind:

- Add to bread with fenneland caraway seeds

- Grind over freshly cookedmeat

- Add some to your peppergrinder along withpeppercorns

Recipe: Seared Cod withGrains of Paradise

One large fillet of cod orother firm flesh fish, cut intotwo pieces

One tablespoon peanut oil

1/4 teaspoon grains ofparadise, coarsely groundwith a mortar and pestle

Juice of ½ lemon and ½ lime

Tomato and coriandersalad, to serve

Heat a pan or grill to high.Season cod on both sides withsalt. When pan is hot, addpeanut oil, then cod. Saute untilcrisped and brown. Then turn,saute for two more minutes,until just cooked through.Remove from oven, and placeon serving plates. Drizzle witholive oil, and sprinkle grains ofparadise on top. Squeeze a littlelemon and lime juice over fish.Serve with a fresh tomato andcoriander salad. Serves two.

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GINGER INGUYANA

B.SasikumarITEC Expert (Spices Technology)

National Agricultural ResearchInstitute,Mon Repos,

ECD,Guyana.Email:sasikumarsooranadu@gmail.com

Ginger (Z.officinale R.) isan important nontraditional crop grown

especially in regions 1,4 and 5of Guyana . As the organicmovement is catching up in thecountry, organic gingerproduction too is gainingmomentum. The Amerindiancommunities of Guyana whoused to raise ginger along withother crops like cassava, yam,sweet potato, vegetables etc.under ‘slash and burn’ practiceis now shifting to settledcultivation of ginger and othercrops , organically. A women’sgroup in the North west regionof the country informally called’Kamwatta Backdam Group’isventuring in to organic gingerpowder production from their

home grown ginger.

The package of practices ofginger production is yet to beperfected in Guyana.At presentthe crop is raised in flat orraised beds under rain fedcondition. Both inorganic andorganic production practices arethere differing from region toregion.

Basically there are twotypes of ginger: Plumby,smooth skinned, non compact,less fiber type and small,slenderrhizme type. The lateris characterized by dwarfstature and narrow leaves.Farmers are not aware ofdistinct varieties.

Ms.Peters Edgar, an

elederly woman farmer ofHorosoroo, Region 1, whogrows ginger ‘without anyfertilizers’ (organically),saysher crop is usually free fromdiseases except minor incidenceof leaf damaging insects.However, few other farmersreport incidence of rhizome rot.

The yield levels are ratherlow, about 7000-9000 kg perhectare only.

Half a kilo of ginger ispriced about US D 0.5 -0.6 inthe local markets in Guyana

The country exported 2.39metric tones of fresh gingerworth USD 5,736 during2005,mainly to other Caribbeancountries.

Ginger dry, ginger powder,fatless ginger, ginger beer aresome of the value added formsin Guyana.

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PROBLEMS ANDPROSPECTS OF

INDIAN PAPRIKA

A.G.MathewPlant Lipids (P) Ltd,

Kolenchery,Cochin 682311

Introduction

Paprika, capsicum annuum L(family solanacea) is the highcoloured low pungent chilli.This is mainly used for its richred colour although this spice infresh form contributes a specialdelicate flavour. It does notcontribute to the hotness of foodpreparations. The hot cultivarsof chillis also belong to the samespecies. Together they representover one million tonnes ofproduce in India.

While Indians like the hottaste, people in the West andother developed counties do notlike excessive hotness in food.In recent years export of hotchilli has increasedconsiderably with estimated1,48,500 metric tonnes beingexported in 2006 – 2007. Incomparison the correspondingfigures for black pepper is 28750metric tonnes, turmeric 51,500metric tonnes and ginger 7,500metric tonnes. However, exportof whole and ground paprikafrom India was negligible. This

is because Indian paprika hassignificant level of hot principle.In fact in earlier days ourpaprika was refered to only as“colour chilli”

Indian Varieties

In the eighties the only lowpungent variety of colour chilligrown extensively in India wasthe Byadge variety grown inKarnataka between Shimogaand Hubli.

With the introduction ofimproved and appropriatetechnology for oleoresinextraction developed by CentralFood Technology ResearchInstitute, Mysore andsubsequent fractionationtechnology for separatingcapsaicin and colourconstituents by RRL (CSIR)Trivandrum, production andexport of paprika oleoresinmade a determined entry byNineties. This enabled a varietyof colour chilli called “Tomatochilli”, grown mainly inWarangal district of AndhraPradesh, to be an effective rawmaterial for making oleoresin.It can be seen that thanks tothese home grown rawmaterials, oleoresin paprikabecame one of the major items

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of export from India.

A recent variety that hascame up in Andhra Pradesh is“Wonder hot”. This variety hasmore red pigments that arerequired for chicken feedindustry.

Hotness of Indian Paprika

Indian paprika rawmaterial has higher thanacceptable level of hotnesscaused by capsaicin. (Fig 1).While capsaicin is the mainprinciple, there are alliedcompounds that havepungency. The more abundantof these are dihydro capsaicinand nor - dihydro capsaicin. Butbecause of the technologydeveloped for removal ofpungency, India is able toproduces oleoresin paprikawith less than 200ppm of totalcapsaicinoids. Not only nowIndia produces “sweet”oleoresin comparable toSpanish paprika oleoresin, italso gets capsaicin as a by-product. All these havecontributed to make India as a

dominant player of paprikaoleoresin.

Present export of oleoresinpaprika can be estimated to beabove 2000 metric tonnesvalued at over Rs 300 cores.Indian market consumes about50 to 60 metric tonnes.

World Scene

While this is so, as far asoleoresin paprika is concerned,in the case of fresh, whole andground paprika, India is asgood as not there. The mainreason is high heat while lowercolour intensity is the otherreason. Paprika produced inZimbabwe, South Africa, Spainand Morocco are sweet andhave high colour content.Hungary and Central and EastEuropean countries producehigh quality table variety forwhole and ground paprika.Isreal also produce somequantity of the above type.These are high priced andcannot be used as a raw materialfor extraction industries. Thereis commercially significant

quantity of paprika in Mexicoand USA. While Mexicanoleoresin has a poor recordquality-wise, USA produceoleoresin from their own cropsuccessfully. China also hasstarted growing paprika andcould develop as a supplier forboth table variety and extractionvariety. An emerging producerof paprika is Peru but the rawmaterial may be more suitablefor extraction purpose. BothChina and Peru are developingas producers of oleoresinpaprika.

Pesticide Residue

A major problem withIndian Paprika is excessive useof pesticide. Farmers tend to useeven irrelevant chemicals.Pesticide manufactures oftenpush their products onuninformed farmers, whereasthe requirement may be adifferent pesticide for thespecific infection or infestation.Even those that are requiredmay be dumped at a muchhigher dosage than is required.All these leave a dangerouslevel of pesticide residue. Thereis no doubt that more thanrequired levels of organochloro,organophosphorus andpyrethroid pesticides are used.Even DDT and BHC are seen incopious amount. One of therecent one to enter iscypermethrin which is believedto be a cheaper pesticide. Thereis need to examine whether this

Fig 1. The Main Hot Constituent

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much of pesticide application isreally necessary.

Out of over one milliontonnes of chillies produced inIndia only less than 20 per centis exported including thoseused for production ofoleoresin. Unfortunately it isonly in export, pesticide residueis objected to. Farmers canafford to ignore the exportmarket. It is time that werecognize the dangers ofpesticide residue for people ofIndia. Legislation towards thisonly can save consumer frommenace of high level ofpesticide in chillies. That wayexport also will be benifited.

Other Residues

Because of the specialstructure of the chilli pod,during drying there isconsiderable chance for thegrowth of Aspergillus funguswhich produce mico toxins.Even during the drying, the wetinside has rich nutrients, for soilmicro organism to enter andthrive inside. There is need touse clean sheets for spreadingthe pods during sun drying.Also the drying should be as faras possible continuous withoutinterruption. In the pastaflotoxins, including B1 werenoticed at a high level. Butthanks to the extension workcarried out by Spices Board, thisthreat is well under control.Luckily heavy metal residue are

usually within approved level.It is reliably understood thatE.U. is planning a limit forochratoxin also.

Units of Colour

Strength of oleoresinpaprika (O/R P) is expressed ascolour value-CV (or colourunit-CU). The value isempirical, originally intendedto represent the highestdilution at which colour is justnoticable under a standardcondition. But the subjectivedetermination is now replacedby a spectrophotometricreading at 460 nm multiplied bya factor. The most traded gradeis O/R P 100,000 cv followed by40,000 cv. O/R P is also tradedin 60,000 cv, 80,000 cv, 120,000cv and 160,000 cv.

In USA the colour isexpressed in terms of ASTA(American Spice TradeAssociation) units. 1 ASTA unitis 40.2 cv and therefore O/R P100,000 cv is equivalent to 2488ASTA units. In internationaltrade the colour intently ofpaprika pods is generallyexpressed on ASTA units unlikeoleoresin which is described incolour value

Nearly 40 per cent ofpaprika oleoresin is used toblend in chicken feed. There thered pigment and transcapsanthin expressed aspercentage of the totalcarotenoids estimated by

spectrophotometer and HPLCrespectively, are significant. Buta similar factor to know the redpigment is the absorption ratiowhich is the ratio of absorptionat 470nm over absorption at455nm read inspectrophotometer. Higher thevalue, like near 1, higher is thered pigment, while a value of0.96 show low level of redpigment.

Colour Quality of IndianPaprika

Table 1 shows the variouspigments and their basic colour.While hydrocarbon carotenesare yellow in colour, theoxygenated derivatives,xanthophylls, show orange andred colour. Capsanthin andcapsorubins are the redpigments that get deposited inthe egg yolk when chickens takein along with feed. Theirchemical structures arepresented in Fig 2.

Table 2 represents theanalysis of some paprikavarieties. In each category thereare top, medium, low gradeespecially based on colour. Thevalues should therefore beconsidered for trends than asabsolute values. It can be seenthat low level of capsaicin ispresent in sweet paprika fromZimbabwe, South Africa, China(e & e d ), Spain and Azerbaijan.In comparision Indian varietieshave high level of capsaicin. In

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A the matter of colour content,“Byadge” compares well withgood samples from outsideIndia. But the absorption ratioof “Byadge” is low indicatinglower level of red pigment.“Wonder hot” in particular and“Tomato chilli” have goodabsorption ratio. But lower yield

Variety Capsaicin ASTA Colour Yeild of AbsorptionContent % of Chilli 100,000cv Ratio of

O/R O/RByadge 0.1 198.8 6.5 0.975Tomato Chilli (India) 0.08 133.4 4.0 0.982Wounder Hot (India) 0.07 118.5 3.1 0.998South Africa 0.03 221.0 6.3 0.968Zimbawe 0.007 288.0 7.6 0.960China I 0.08 107.0 3.5 0.981China II 0.04 212.4 7.1 0.980China III 0.05 164.2 5.3 0.978Spain (Low Grade) 0.02 100.7 4.4 0.974Peru 0.06 188.0 5.7 0.974Ethiopea 0.06 161.4 5.2 0.965Mozambic 0.05 171.0 4.4 0.960Afganistan 0.09 177.7 5.5 0.974Azerbaijain 0.04 156.0 4.7 0.962

O/R = Oleoresin. 1 ASTA unit of colour = 40.2 cv.

Table 2: Capsaicin and Colour Content of Paprikas fromDifferent Regions

Capsanthin b d Cryptocapsin a dβ Carotene a a Zeaxanthin b bViolaxanthin c c Antheroxanthin b cCryptoxanthin a b Capsanthin epoxide c dCapsorubin d d Lutein b b

Violaxanthin c c

Fig 2. Carotenoid Pigments of Red Pepper

Table 1: The Colour ofIndividual CarotenoidPigments of Paprika

Chlorophyll a Green

Chlorophyll b

Beta carotene

Beta carotene5-6 epoxide

Beta carotene5,6,5’6’ diepoxide

Beta crypotaxanthin,mono and diepoxide

Mutotoxanthin Yellow

Antheraxanthin

Violaxanthin

Luteoxanthin – a

Luteoxanthin – b

Neoxanthin

Beta cryptoxanthin

Lutein

Zeaxanthin Orange

Cryptocapsin

Capsanthin

Capsanthin epoxide

Capsanthin isomers Red

Capsanthin isomers

Capsorubin

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of oleoresin and total colourmake “Wonder hot” anexpensive raw material. Thedata clearly show that becauseof high capsaicin content,Indian paprika cannot be usedas fresh and dried sweetpaprika.

Conclusion

Pesticide residues of Indianpaprika are high. It is possiblethat farmers are using excessivedoses and in some casesunwanted chemicals. It isnecessary to have an integratedpesticide management to getpaprika acceptable to

international market. Indianstandards for pesticide residueshould be brought to safe level,so that health of the people areprotected.

The yield per unit areashould be increased to reducethe cost. Indian paprika shouldhave low hotness to be used forfresh, whole and groundproducts. Capsaicin contentshould be much less than halfof the present level. Paprikawith a bright red colour willhave a great appeal for use asfresh, whole and groundpaprika. Farmers should be

encouraged to dryuninterrupted for use as drypaprika. This is necessary tocontrol aflatoxins and to giveuniform attractive colour.

For use as raw materials foroleoresin industry, yield ofextract and total colour shouldbe increased. For oleoresin inchicken feed industry thecontent of trans capsanthin andred pigments should beincreased. These can beachieved by promoting the rightcultivars.

Packing Solutions for Spices - Domestic & Exports

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P.Rajeev Indian Institute of Spices Research,

Marikunnu PO,Calicut 673012

In Greek mythology,“Menthe” a nymph wasPluto’s lover. She angered

Pluto’s wife Persephone, who ina fit of rage turned Menthe into a lowly plant to be trod upon.Pluto, unable to undo the spell,was able to soften it by givingMenthe a sweet scent, whichwould perfume the air whenher leaves were stepped on -thus aromatic herb the mint.Lesser known compared to theking and queen of spices, mintstands next in place to Vanillaand citrus for its most soughtafter flavour.

Native to theMediterranean and WesternAsia, mints interbreed often,making it difficult for even anexpert to distinguish all thevarieties. All mints contain thevolatile oil menthol, whichgives mint that characteristiccooling, cleansing feeling.

There are about 26 purespecies of mints available.Some of them commonly calledas Japanese peppermint, Asianmint, Australian mint, cornmint, field mint, wild mint,garden mint as this list is notexhaustive. Apart from this, the

mint family has a large groupof recognised hybrids.Botanically, Mentha (mint) is agenus of about 25 species in thefamily Lamiaceae (MintFamily). Species within Menthahave a sub cosmopolitandistribution across Europe,Africa, Asia, Australia, andNorth America. Mints arearomatic, almost exclusivelyperennial, rarely annual, herbs.They have wide-spreading

MENTHE TO MENTHATHE STORY OF MINTMENTHE TO MENTHATHE STORY OF MINT

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underground rhizomes anderect, branched stems.

All mints prefer, and thrive,in cool, moist spots in partialshade. In general, mints toleratea wide range of conditions, andcan also be grown in fullsun.They are fast growing,extending their reach alongsurfaces through a network ofrunners. Due to their speedygrowth, one plant of eachdesired mint, along with a littlecare, will provide more thanenough mint for home use.Some mint species are moreinvasive than others. Even withthe less invasive mints, careshould be taken when mixingany mint with any other plants,lest the mint take over. Tocontrol mints in an openenvironment, mints should beplanted in deep, bottomlesscontainers sunk in the ground,or planted above ground in tubsand barrels. Some mints can bepropagated by seed. Growthfrom seed can be an unreliablemethod for raising mint for tworeasons: mint seeds are highlyvariable, one might not end upwith what one presupposedwas planted; some mintvarieties are sterile. It is moreeffective to take and plantcuttings from the runners ofhealthy mints.

The most common andpopular mints for cultivationare peppermint (Mentha ×piperita), spearmint (Menthaspicata), and (more recently)apple mint (Mentha

suaveolens).Mints are supposedto make good companionplants, repelling pest insectsand attracting beneficial ones.Harvesting of mint leaves canbe done at anytime. Fresh mintleaves should be used

Scientific name Common name

Mentha aquatica Water mint, or Marsh mintMentha arvensis Corn Mint, Wild Mint,

Japanese Peppermint,Field Mint, Pudina

Mentha asiatica Asian MintMentha australis Australian mintMentha canadensisMentha cervina Hart’s PennyroyalMentha citrata Bergamot mintMentha crispata Wrinkled-leaf mintMentha cunninghamiaMentha dahurica Dahurian ThymeMentha diemenica Slender mintMentha gattefosseiMentha grandifloraMentha haplocalyxMentha japonicaMentha kopetdaghensisMentha laxiflora Forest mintMentha longifolia,Mentha sylvestris Horse MintMentha pulegium PennyroyalMentha requienii Corsican mintMentha sachalinensis Garden mintMentha satureioides Native PennyroyalMentha spicata Spearmint, Curly mintMentha suaveolens Apple mintMentha vagans Gray mint

Different species of Mint

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immediately or stored up to acouple of days in plastic bagswithin a refrigerator.Optionally, mint can be frozenin ice cube trays. Dried mintleaves should be stored in anairtight container placed in acool, dark, dry area.

The main producers of mintin India are Jammu andKashmir, Punjab, Karnatakaand Andhra Pradesh. It isproduced as a garden crop inOoty, Tamil Nadu. Indianexport of mint mostly consistsof essential oils, which havemore commercial value thanleaves.

As diverse in its use like anyother spice the uses of mint canbe classified in to culinary,medicinal cosmetic and eveninsecticidal.

The leaf, fresh or dried, isthe culinary source of mint.Fresh mint is usually preferredover dried mint when storage ofthe mint is not a problem. Theleaves have a pleasant warm,fresh, aromatic, sweet flavorwith a cool aftertaste. Mintleaves are used in teas,beverages, jellies, syrups,candies, and ice creams. InMiddle Eastern cuisine mint isused on lamb dishes. In Britishcuisine, mint sauce is popular

with lamb. Mint is a necessaryingredient in Touareg tea, apopular tea in northern Africanand Arab countries. Alcoholicdrinks sometimes feature flavorof mint, namely the Mint Julepand the Mojito. Crème de mentheis a mint-flavored liqueur usedin drinks such as thegrasshopper.Mint has animportant place in Indiancuisine. A few dishes preparedwith mint leaves are mint-coriander chutney, rasam,sambar, meat, fish, poultryitems and biryanis. Being acarminative, mint is often usedin dishes made with peas, dalsand other food stuffs which isdifficult to digest. Both freshand dried leaves of mint areused.

Mint essential oil andmenthol are extensively used asflavorings in breath fresheners,drinks, antiseptic mouth rinses,toothpaste, chewing gum,desserts, and candies; and mintchocolate. The substances thatgive the mints theircharacteristic aromas andflavors are menthol (the mainaroma of Peppermint, andJapanese Peppermint) andpulegone (in Pennyroyal andCorsican Mint). The compoundprimarily responsible for thearoma and flavor of spearmintis R-carvone.

Mint was originally used asa medicinal herb to treatstomach ache and chest pains.To cure stomach aches, putdried mint leaves in boilingwater, then, when it cools

drink it. This tea is calledmonstranzo. During the middleages, powdered mint leaveswere used to whiten teeth. Minttea is a strong diuretic. Mint alsoaids digestion. Menthol andmint essential oil are also muchused in medicine as acomponent of many drugs, andare very popular inaromatherapy. Anothercommon use is as anantipruritic, especially in insectbite treatments (often alongwith camphor). Menthol is alsoused in cigarettes as an additive,because it blocks out the bittertaste of tobacco and soothes thethroat.

Mint oil is also used as anenvironmental ly- fr iendlyinsecticide for its ability to killsome common pests like wasps,hornets, ants and cockroaches.Mint leaves are often used bymany campers to repelmosquitoes. It is also said thatextracts from mint leaves havea particular mosquito-killingcapability.

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GREEN ECONOMY

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Chilli seeds & saplings

Turmeric (GCT-1 Black Pepper9.0% Curcumin (HPLC)

Turmeric (Lakadang) Cinnamon7.30% Curcumin (HPLC)

Ginger (Moran) Bay Leaves2.10% Oil (Vol)

Ginger (Thingria) Large Cardamom1.85% Oil (Vol) Bada Dana

Chilli (Birdís Eye) Large Cardamom1.20 % Capsaicin Chota Dana

Chilli (King or Raja) Lichens3.50% Capsaicin (Wood & Store)

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HEALTHBENEFITS OF

SPICESDr. K.N.Pushpakumari * and S.Pramod

AVT Natural Products Ltd.South Vazhakulam

Marampilly P.OAluva 683 107

Spice refers to parts ofplants that are used toflavour food products.

They not only improvepalatability but also perform avery important task ofpreserving foods for longerperiods. This is attributed by theanti-bacterial properties ofspices. It is a well known factthat aroma of spices stimulatessalivary and gastric secretionand hence helps in digestion.Spices in general arecarminative. The indigenoussystem of medicine has given aspecial place to spices becauseof their unique medicinalproperties. Pharmacologicaleffects of spices are beingrecognized worldwide andresearches in the field arestudying the benefits of the

active ingredients of variousspices to tackle chronic diseases.

The health benefits of majorspices produced in our countryare reviewed in the article.

Part 1 – Turmeric

Turmeric, the rhizomes ofCurcuma longa belonging tofamily zingeberaceae has beenused in south Indian culinaryfor centuries. It is a populargolden yellow spice usedworldwide for colouring food.Turmeric is a perennial shrubnative to Southern Asia,cultivated in tropical countrieslike India, China, Burma, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand,Java and through out Africancontinent(1,2,3). It is extensivelycultivated in many parts ofIndia. India is the world’s

leading producer and consumerof turmeric. Kerala, TamilNadu, Andhra Pradesh andMaharashtra are the statesprominent in producing goodquality rhizomes. Well knownIndian varieties are Alleppyfinger, Madras finger and Erodeturmeric. In medieval Europe,turmeric was known as Indiansaffron.

In the indigenous system ofmedicine, turmeric enjoys thereputation as a stomachic, bloodpurifier, useful in common cold,leprosy, intermittent fevers,ailments of liver, dropsy,purulent ophthalmia, woundhealing and inflammation(4).

Turmeric,being anti-microbial,is used extensively for cosmeticapplications. It is a practice forsouth Indians to use fresh

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turmeric paste for bodymassage during pregnancy,after child birth and also fornew born babies. Thisrejuvenate the body, kills germsand also improves skin colourand texture.

Turmeric is the only spicewhich finds application in allthe three segments of life - food,cosmetics and health.

Composition of driedturmeric –The rhizomes containvolatile oil, curcuminoids,turmerin(a water solublepeptide), proteins, fibre, starch(mainly polysaccharides likearabinogalactans), minerals likepotassium, carotene, vitamin Cetc.

Active ingredients includeessential oil (bisabolene, arturmerone, alpha, betacurcumenes and zingibereneare the major terpeniccomponents of the essential oil)and curcuminoids, the yellowcoloured pigments.

Curcuminoids is a mixtureof three components namelycurcumin, demethoxy curcuminand bis demethoxy curcumingenerally in the ratio 50-65: 18-26 : 17-28 respectively. The ratiochanges slightly depending onthe cultivar and geographicalorigin. In the pure curcuminoidsisolated from the rhizomes, theabove components are generallyfound in the ratio 70-80: 15-20:2-5 (5).

The curcuminoids arepolyphenols and areresponsible for the yellow colorof turmeric. Curcumin can existin at least two tautomeric forms,keto and enol. The enol form ismore energetically stable bothin solid phase and in solution(6)

IUPAC name of Curcuminis (1E,6E)-1,7-bis (4-hydroxy 3-methoxyphenyl ) -1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione. It is alsocalled diferuloylmethane, C.I.75300, Natural Yellow 3,

E 100. CAS No. [458-37-7],Molecular formula C21 H20 O6,Molecular weight 368.38,Melting point : 183 deg C

While the chemistry ofturmeric is well studied, its

mechanism of action inside thebody is not fully understood.Apart from the volatile oil andcurcuminoids, turmerin, apeptide, is also found to beeffective as anti-oxidant, DNAprotectant and shows anti-mutagen actions.(7,8).

Turmeric is usedextensively in the Indiansystems of medicine likeAyurveda, Unani, and Siddha .It is listed official in theAyurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India(9). In Ayurvedic medicine,turmeric has a long history ofuse for its anti-inflammatoryand anti-arthritic effects.Turmeric is also usedextensively in traditionalChinese medicine. It is included

Curcumin keto form

Curcumin enol form

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in the Pharmacopoeia of thePeople’s Republic of China (10) aswell as in the Japanese HerbalMedicines Codex (11). As in India,it is used in China, Japan, andKorea for ailments includingabdominal fullness, kidneypain, and amenorrhea(12).

Medicinal properties ofcurcuminoids :

Curcumin acts as a freeradical scavenger andantioxidant, inhibiting lipid -peroxidation and is a wellknown hepatoprotective(13)

protects the liver from damagescaused due to alcoholconsumption. Recent studiesproved the benefit of curcuminfor the control of cancer,alzheimers and HIV virus.Curcumin can be of use inreducing or controllingdiabetes, multiple sclerosis,septic shock, multidrugr e s i s t a n c e ,i m m u n o s u p p r e s s s i o n ,cardiovascular diseases,cardiotoxicity, cataractformation, liver injury,nephrotoxicity, inflammatorybowel disease, arthritis, lungfibrosis, muscle cellproliferation (14 ) etc.

Curcumin is wellresearched for its antitumor(15,16)

antioxidant, antiarthritic, anti-amyloid and anti-inflammatoryproperties(17). Anti-inflammatory properties maybe due to inhibition of

eicosanoid biosynthesis(18). Inaddition it may be effective intreating malaria, prevention ofcervical cancer, and mayinterefere with the replication ofthe HIV virus(19). In HIV, itappears to act by interferingwith P300/CREB-bindingprotein (CBP). A 2008 study atMichigan State Universityshowed that low concentrationsof curcumin interfere withHerpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1)replication(20). The same studyshowed that curcumin inhibitedthe recruitment of RNApolymerase II to viral DNA,thus inhibiting the transcriptionof the viral DNA(19). This effectwas shown to be independentof effect on histoneacetyltransferase activities ofp300/CBP(20). A previous studyperformed at University ofCincinnati indicated thatcurcumin is significantlyassociated with protection frominfection by HSV-2 in animalmodels of intravaginalinfections(21).

For the last few decades,extensive work has been doneto establish the biologicalactivities and pharmacologicalactions of curcumin. Curcuminis probably the “best” of theherbal colon cancerchemopreventatives - as such, itseems to have generated a lot ofinterest in the scientificcommunity. Clinical trials(Phase I) have been run which

indicate curcumin is apparentlysafe in doses up to 8 grams/day.Its anticancer effects stem fromits ability to induce apoptosis(cell death) in cancer cellswithout cytotoxic effects onhealthy cells. Curcumin caninterfere with the activity of thetranscription factor NF-êB,which has been linked to anumber of inflammatorydiseases such as cancer(22).

A 2004 UCLA-VeteransAffairs study involvinggenetically altered micesuggests that curcumin mightinhibit the accumulation ofdestructive beta-amyloid in thebrains of Alzheimer’s diseasepatients and also break upexisting plaques associated withthe disease(23). In Alzheimer’sdisease, a peptide calledamyloid-beta forms aggregates(oligomers), which accumulatein the brain and form depositsknown as amyloid plaques(24)

Inflammation and oxidativedamage are also associated withthe progession of Alzheimer’sdisease(25). Curcumin has beenfound to inhibit amyloid betaoligomer formation in vitro(26)

When injected peripherally,curcumin was found to crossthe blood brain barrier in ananimal model of Alzheimer’sdisease(27). Dietary curcumin hasbeen found to decreasebiomarkers of inflammationand oxidative damage and todecrease amyloid plaque

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burden in the brain andamyloid beta-induced memorydeficits in animal models ofAlzheimer’s disease(26-29). It isnot known whether curcumintaken orally can cross the bloodbrain barrier or inhibit theprogression of Alzheimer’sdisease in humans. As a resultof the promising findings inanimal models, several clinicaltrials of oral curcuminsupplementation in patientswith early Alzheimer’s diseaseare under way (30). Alzheimers isless common in India ,compared to US , may beattributed to the fact thatIndians have the habit ofconsuming turmeric on aregular basis.

Numerous studies havebeen done on the bio-availability of curcumin.Curcumin has very poor bio-availability. The bio-absorptionof curcumin can be enhancedwhen supplemented withpiperine, the alkaloid in blackpepper(31).

It is advisable to use groundpepper along with turmeric, toimprove the absorption ofcurcumin in the stomach.

Recently, a polymericnanoparticle encapsulatedformulation of curcumin -”nanocurcumin” has beensynthesized which has thepotential to bypass many of theshortcomings associated with

free curcumin, such as poorsolubility and poor systemicbioavailability. Nanocurcuminparticles have a size of less than100 nanometers on average, anddemonstrate superior efficacycompared to free curcumin(32).Researchers have developed anumber of other curcuminanalogs that appear to havegreater bioavailability, but theseanalogs have not been testedbroadly, either in vitro or invivo, for medicinal purposes.

Another method to increasethe bioavailability of curcuminhas recently been patented thatinvolves a simple procedurecreating a complex with soyphospholipids(33)and acompostion of curcumin withthe turmerone rich volaitle oilfraction of turmeric forenhancing the bio-availability(34). In yet another study(35) ,natural biodegradablepolymers like bovine serumalbumin and chitosan, wereused to encapsulate curcumin toform a depot-drug deliverysystem. Microspheres wereprepared by emulsion-solventevaporation method coupledwith chemical cross linking ofthe natural polymers. In vitrorelease studies indicated abiphasic drug-release pattern ,characterised by a typical bursteffect followed by a slowrelease that continued forseveral days. It was evidentfrom the study that the

c u r c u m i n - b i o d e g r a d a b l emicrospheres could besuccessfully employed as aprolonged –release drug-delivery system for bettertherapeutic management ofinflammation as comparedwith oral or subcutaneousadministration of curcumin.

We should be thankful tonature for gifting such awonderful - all purpose spice.

References

1. Leung,A.Y andS.Foster(1996), Encyclopediaof common Natural Ingredientsused in Food, Drugs andCosmetics, 2nd Ed. New York,John Wiley and Sons Inc.,499-51

2. Kapoor L.D, (1990), CRCHand Book of AyurvedicMedicinal Plants, Boca Raton,CRC Press 149-150

3. Yen, K.Y. (1992), Theiiiustrated Chinese MateriaMedica-Crude and Prepared.Taipei, Taiwan, SMCPublishing, Inc.82.

4. Chopra.R.N, Chopra.I.C,Handa.K.L and Kapur. L.D,Indigenous Drugs of India,U.N Dhar and Sons,Calcuytta, (1958), p. 235.

5. US Patent 69428816. Kolev, Tsonko M.; et al.

(2005). “DFT andExperimental Studies of theStructure and VibrationalSpectra of Curcumin”.International Journal ofQuantum Chemistry 102 (6):069–79. Wiley Periodicals.doi:10.1002/qua.20469.

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7. Srinivas L, V.K. Shalini,M.Shylaja (1992).”Turmerin awater-soluble antioxidantpeptide from turmeric(Curcumalonga). Arch Biochem.Biophy292(2) : 617-623

8. Selvam,R etal(1995).”Theantioxidant activity of Turmeric(Curcuma longa )”.J.Ethnopharmacol 47(2): 59-67

9. “Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia ofIndia(API)”.(1989) , NewDelhi: 45-46

10. Tu,G(ed) (1992),“Pharmacopeia of the People’sRepublic of China”.BeijingGuangdong Science andTechnology Press 202-203

11. “The Japanese Standards forHerbalMedicines(JHSM)”(1993).Tokyo Yukuji Nippo Ltd. 279

12. But,P.P.H etal(eds) (1997).“International Collation ofTraditional and Folk Medicine”Singapore , World Scientific.207-208

13. Marotta, F.; et al. (October2003). “Hepatoprotective effectof a curcumin/absinthiumcompound in experimentalsevere liver injury”. ChineseJournal of Digestive Diseases 4(3): 122–7. BlackwellPublishing. doi:10.1046/j.1443-9573.2003.00133.x.

14. Aggarwal, Bharat B.; Kumar,Anushree; Aggarwal, ManojS.; Shishodia, Shishir. 2005.“Curcumin derived fromturmeric (Curcuma longa): Aspice for all seasons.”Phytopharmaceuticals inCancer Chemoprevention, 349-387

15. Aggarwal, BB.; Shishodia S.(May 2006). “Moleculartargets of dietary agents forprevention and therapy of

cancer”. BiochemicalPharmacology 71 (10): 1397–421. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2006.02.009.

16. Choi, Hyunsung; et al. (July2006). “Curcumin InhibitsHypoxia-Inducible Factor-1by Degrading ArylHydrocarbon ReceptorNuclear Translocator: AMechanism of TumorGrowth Inhibition”.Molecular Pharmacology 70:1664–71. American Societyfor Pharmacology andExperimental Therapeutics.doi:10.1124/mol.106.025817.PMID 16880289.

17. Stix, Gary (February 2007).“Spice Healer”. ScientificAmerican.

18. Srivastava, KC; Bordia A;Verma SK (April 1995).“Curcumin, a majorcomponent of the food spiceturmeric (Curcuma longa),inhibits aggregation andalters eicosanoid metabolismin human blood platelets”.Prostaglandins Leukot EssentFatty Acids 52 (4): 223–7.d o i : 1 0 . 1 0 1 6 / 0 9 5 2 -3278(95)90040-3. PMID7784468.

19. Padma, TV (2005-03-11).“Turmeric can combatmalaria, cancer virus andHIV”, SciDev.net.

20. Kutluay SB, Doroghazi J,Roemer ME, Triezenberg SJ(January 2008). “Curcumininhibits herpes simplex virusimmediate-early geneexpression by a mechanismindependent of p300/CBPhistone acetyltransferaseactivity”. Virology 373: 239.d o i : 1 0 . 1 0 1 6 /j.virol.2007.11.028. PMID18191976.

21. Bourne KZ, Bourne N,Reising SF, Stanberry LR(1999 July). “Plant productsas topical microbicidecandidates: assessment of invitro and in vivo activityagainst herpes simplex virustype 2”. Antiviral research 42(3): 219–26. doi:10.1016/S0166-3542(99)00020-0 .PMID 10443534.

22. Aggarwal BB, Shishodia S.Suppression of the nuclearfactor-kappaB activationpathway by spice-derivedphytochemicals: reasoningfor seasoning. Ann N Y AcadSci. 2004 Dec;1030:434-41.PMID 15659827.

23. Yang, F; Lim GP; Begum AN;Ubeda OJ; Simmons MR;Ambegaokar SS; Chen PP;Kayed R; Glabe CG;Frautschy SA; Cole GM(February 2005). “Curcumininhibits formation ofamyloid beta oligomers andfibrils, binds plaques, andreduces amyloid in vivo”.Journal of Biological Chemistry280 (7): 5892–901. AmericanSociety for Biochemistry andMolecular Biology.doi:10.1074/jbc.M404751200.PMID 15590663.

24. Gandy S. The role of cerebralamyloid beta accumulationin common forms ofAlzheimer disease. J ClinInvest. 2005;115(5):1121-1129.Pub Med.

25. Cole GM, Morihara T, LimGP, Yang F, Begum A,Frautschy SA. NSAID andAntioxidant Prevention ofAlzheimer’s Disease:Lessons from In Vitro andAnimal Models. Ann N YAcad Sci. 2004;1035:68-84.Pub Med.

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26. Yang F, Lim GP, Begum AN,et al. Curcumin inhibitsformation of amyloid betaoligomers and fibrils, bindsplaques, and reducesamyloid in vivo. J Biol Chem.2005;280(7):5892-5901, PubMed

27. Frautschy SA, Hu W, Kim P,et al. Phenolic anti-inflammatory antioxidantreversal of Abeta-inducedcognitive deficits andneuropathology. NeurobiolAging. 2001;22(6):993-1005.Pub Med.

27. Lim GP, Chu T, Yang F,Beech W, Frautschy SA, ColeGM. The curry spicecurcumin reduces oxidativedamage and amyloidpathology in an Alzheimertransgenic mouse. J

Neurosci. 2001;21(21):8370-8377. Pub Med.

28. Ringman, John M.;Frautschy, Sally A.; Cole,Gregory M.; Masterman,Donna L.; Cummings, JeffreyL. “A potential role of thecurry spice curcumin inAlzheimer’s disease.”Current Alzheimer Research,2(2), 131-136. PMID 15974909

29. National Institutes of Health.Clinical Trials.gov. 2005.Available at: http:/clinicaltrials.gov/.

30. Shoba G; Joy D; Joseph T;Majeed M; Rajendran R;Srinivas PS (May 1998).“Influence of piperine on thepharmacokinetics ofcurcumin in animals andhuman volunteers”. PlantaMed 64 (4): 353–6.

doi:10.1055/s-2006-957450.PMID 9619120

31. Bisht; et al. (2007).“Polymeric nanoparticle-encapsulated curcumin(“nanocurcumin”): a novelstrategy for human cancertherapy”. Journal ofNanobiotechnology 5 (3): 3.BioMed Central.doi:10.1186/1477-3155-5-3.PMID 17439648.

32. European patentEP20060004820

33. IPC, Wo/2006/129323Kumar etal, “Biodegradablemicrospheres of curcuminfor treatrment ofinflammation”, IndianJ.Physiol.Pharmacol. (2002)46(2). 209-217

AttentionSpice ProcessorsSeeds ProcessorsOilseeds Millers

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E-mail : goldinequip@yahoo.com, sales@goldinequip.comwebsite : www.goldinequip.com

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YELLOW SPOTTEDGREEN GRASSHOPPERS

IN CARDAMOM

Yellow – spotted green grasshopper (Aularches miliaris)

S.S.Chandrasekar,S.Varadarasan,M.A. Ansar Ali

and B.GopakumarIndian Cardamom Research Institute

Spices Board, Myladumpara

The grasshopper,commonly called asspotted locust, has been

noticed in certain cardamomgrowing pockets of Idukkidistrict during 1983, 1994, 2003and 2005. This year also farmers

from Rajakkad area reported tohave seen the insect in October.Every time it has been reportedas an alarming pest by media(newspapers). After havingseen the insect in field andheard the news, planters

become panic thinking that theyare going to destroy cardamom.But, so far (from 1983) it nevercaused serious damage, whichwarranted any action.

What are they?....

The green coloured spottedgrasshopper (Aularches miliaris)has been reported as a pest ofmany crops (polyphagous) viz.,coffee, coconut, arecanut,cashew, black pepper, teak, jack,dadeps, banana, etc. Since itoccurs in large numbers(swarms) in forests and nearbyplantations, one may naturallybecome panic and concerned onthe possible crop loss.

The adults…

Adult hoppers have prettygreen wings with yellow spotsover it. It measures about 4.5 to5.8 cm in length; female is largerthan male. Its head is black witha pale yellow band on lateralsides. When disturbed theadults have the habit of emittinga white frothy secretion, whichhas a repulsive odour. Most ofthe adults are seen in pairs andin copulation.

The adults are sluggish andincapable of flying to greatdistance, and the theory that ithas appeared in these areas bymigrating from somewhereelse, is easily refuted. Thoughthe adults are seen damagingthe cardamom leaves by

D O N O T P A N I C

Attention: Cardamom Planters

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nibbling, cardamom has notbeen a favourable host (food)for this grasshopper. If thespotted grasshopper haspreference on cardamom plantsto other vegetations, the largepopulation of the insect presentin plantation could havefinished off the entirecardamom plants within a fewdays. Since the adultgrasshopper is seen in thisplantation, the nymphs (youngones) would also be in thevicinity, and had these nymphspreferred cardamom plants toother vegetations, the crop losswould have been throughoutthe year. So, cardamom is not apreferred host for adult and youngones, and hence it is not a pest oncardamom.

The young ones

The grasshopper adults areseen in October/Novembermostly on top of shade treesbasking in sunlight. The adultsclimb down for laying eggs;they dig (excavate) the soil to adepth of six cm by its egg-layingorgan (ovipositor). Matedfemales thrust their entireabdomen to a depth of five toeight cm in the soil and layabout 59-82 eggs in cluster increamy white pods, 2.5 to 5.3 cmbelow ground level. Eggs arepale-white at the time of egglaying, which turns to darkbrown. After about three to fourmonths small wingless young

ones (nymphs) emerge. Itspinkish body is intermingledwith red dots and white up anddown (longitudinal) stripes.Larval stage lasts for 86-221days. Females live for about 80-85 days while male only for 5-30 days. A brief report of its lifehistory is available from arecord as coconut pest.According to this, female layseggs during mid-November;eggs hatch in three to fourmonths and there are sixnymphal stages taking threemonths to form adults.

The young ones of spottedgrasshopper feed on cardamomleaves also like its adults bynibbling; but its damage isinsignificant. Earlier, theplanters imposed variousinsecticides for controlling thisinsect, which increased the costof cultivation and in manyoccasions lead to outbreak ofminor pests like whitefly, red-spider mites, etc. This kind ofindiscriminate use of insecticideimposition, without knowingthe ecology of insects, killed thenatural enemies and increasedother pests in cardamom.

Eco-friendly managementstrategy (if warranted)

The best strategy is toignore the insect, as its damageis unlikely to be of economicscale. It does not damage thepanicles or capsules in any way.

The detailed study byscientists at I C R I,Myladumpara, on the ecology,feeding- and reproductive-behaviour, etc. of thegrasshopper have given thefollowing strategy formanaging this insect.

1. Taking intoconsideration the congregatingnature of the adult insect duringOctober/November, an easyand economic way to reduce thenumber of insect would be tohand pick the insects anddestroy. The grasshoppers maynot be seen throughout the fieldbut they are seen on patchesclimbing down from a few treeslike Ficus, Dadeps, jack, etc. Ifsuch areas are concentrated forcollection of adult, then theremay not be much labour andtime to be spent.

2. In endemic areas, whereadult grasshoppers are seen, itis doubtless that several lakhsof eggs have been deposited inthe soil by the females. Theemerging young ones may feedon the weed vegetation andhence there is a possibility toincrease the population in thearea. Hence it is advisable tofind out the egg deposited areas,rake the soil well, and smashthoroughly to expose the eggs,so that the eggs may bedestroyed.

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EventsAMERICAS SHOW YIELD

GOOD TRADE ENQUIRIESParticipation of the Board in the 11th Americas

Food & Beverage Show held in Miami, Florida,USA during 24-26, September 2008 yieldedseveral enquiries for spices and spices extracts. The small and medium scale dealers and traderslocated in and around Miami are currentlymeeting their requirements from major importerslocated in North America. However therequirements are not so big for specific items. Thepreference is to get break bulk loads. Perhaps theIndian exporting companies can fix up tradecontacts who could provide regular supplies ona consistent basis.

The Spices Board stand at the fair held at theWorld Trade Center Miami had visitors frommany destinations. The visitors from theCaribbean Islands showed much interest inIndian curry as they use lot of curry mixes thatare similar in taste profile in their cuisines. Greatpotential for spice powders and mixes are foundfor both bulk as well as retail packing of theirbrands to these markets.

Some of the manufactures of seasonings andblends in and around Miami were much enthusedabout Indian spice extracts displayed in the stall.They have a preference to have extracts for theirseasoning manufacturing since quality of spicesimported in whole/ground form are lackconsistency in quality. Shri. Mangat Ram Sharma,Director, Ministry of Commerce & Industry andShri. P. Jagadeesan, Deputy Director, Spices Boardtook care of the participation of the show at thefair. Representative of M/s. Pepper IndiaCorporation, Kottayam, Kerala, Shri. KurianAbraham also participated and held discussionswith buyers.

The Board’s stand put on display severalsamples of spices and spice products of exporters.The fair was jam packed with over 5,000 productsfrom around the world, new product pavilionsand learning opportunities. More than 5,800retailers, distributors, importers, foodserviceprofessionals and exhibitors from 87 countriesfeatured the largest America’s focused food andbeverage trade event.

Mr. P. Jagadeesan, Deputy Director [right] and Sri.Mangat Ram Sharma, Director, Ministry ofCommerce & Industry [right] with a business visitor.

Mr. P. Jagadeesan, Deputy Director [right] with avisitor at the Spices Board stand at the Americasshow

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FOODBIZ AFRICA YIELDS TRADE ENQUIRIESSpices Board participation in Africa Big Seven

2008, Foodbiz, in Midrand, Johannesburgresulted in generating substantial enquiries fordifferent spices. The fair held during July 20 to22, 2008 had wide participation from differentcountries. The Board was represented by Director

INDIAN SPICES PAVILION IN BIOFACH GERMANYThe Spices Board will be setting up

an Indian spices pavilion at the OrganicFood Show in Nuremberg, Germanyduring February 19th to 22nd, 2009. Thisfair, 20th in the series will be held atNuremberg Messe and will focusorganic food, other natural products,organic agriculture and marketing. Thelast edition of the Biofach in February2008 witnessed participation of over 2700exhibitors who were visited by over46,500 trade visitors from 124 countries.Market experts from Organic Detailedinformation is available on the internetwww.biofach.de/products on display.

The Board will be participating inan area of 40 sq.mts. along withAgricultural and Processed FoodProducts Export DevelopmentAuthority (APEDA). Indian organicexporters, organic farmers, organicfarmer groups etc. can participate in theSpices Board pavilion. This is one of theexclusive shows for organic foodproducts and is visited by all those whomatters in the international organic foodbusiness.

The Spices Board has beenregularly participating in this fair andsubstantial enquiries used to be

generated. This fair will definitelyprovide good deals in developinginternational business in organic trade.

Monitor & IFOAM have projecteda world trade turn over in organic foodworth more than 40 billion US Dollarsduring 2007. The country of the year in Biofach 2007 is Denmark.

Those who are interested inparticipating in this exhibition arerequested to contact the DeputyDirector(Publicity) of the Board. Participation in this fair is beingcoordinated by Director Research, Dr.JThomas.

(Dev), Mr.R. Chandrasekhar and Sr.Scientist,Dr.K.Dhanapal. Mr.Abraham Mathew ofSynthite Industrial Chemicals, Kolencherry,Mr.Santhosh Kumar of Sara spices,Kizhakkambalam and Mr. Balamurugan of JothiTrading Company, Virudhunagar alsoparticipated through the Spices Board stand.

(From left) Shri.R.Chandrasekhar, Director(Development) Shri.Balamurugan of Jothi TradingCompany, Dr.K.Dhanapal, Senior Scientist andShri.Abraham Mathew of Synthite IndustrialChemicals at the stand. Shri.Santhosh Kumar of SaraSpice is at the back.

(From left) Dr.K.Dhanapal, Senior Scientist andShri.R.Chandrasekhar, Director (Development)attending to a visitor at the stand.

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ISO MEETING IN SPAINThe 25th Meeting of ISO/

TC 34/SC 7 onv a r i o u s I S O S t a n d a r d s ,Specifications and Testmethods was held at Madrid,Spain during 8 to 10 October2008. The meeting deliberatedon the various options preparedby the member countries andappropriate decisions weretaken after detaileddiscussions.

Chairman, Spices Board,Mr V J Kurian.I A S, presidedover the meeting. Mrs.Madhulika Prakash, Scientist-F& Deputy Director General ,BIS, New Delhi, acted as thesecretary to the committee.

Delegates from France,Greece, India, Iran, Morocco,Spain and Sweden attended themeeting. The meetingapproved the ISO/DIS 6465Cumin- Whole and groundSpecifications- prepared byIndia and adopted asFDIS(Final Draft ISOSpecification). The DocumentISO/DIS 927 Spices andCondiments- Determination ofextraneous matter and foreignmatter content - was alsoaccepted as FDIS.

The following committeedraft (CD) was also accepted as DIS(Draft ISO Specification).

ISO/CD 3632-1- Saffron -Part I specifications.

ISO/CD 3632-2 -Saffron -Part 2 Test methods.

The following Standardsare confirmed by the committee.

ISO/NWIP- Revision of ISO 1237:1981 Mustard Seed-Specification

ISO 2254:2004 Cloves,Whole and ground(powdered)-Specification

ISO 6577:2002 Nutmeg,whole or broken and macewhole or in pieces-Specification.

For the followingStandards, TechnicalCorrigendum is accepted by the

committee.

ISO 3493:1999 Vanilla-Vocabulary

ISO 7540:2006 GroundPaprika - Specifications.

And for the followingStandards TechnicalCorrigendum is called for by thecommittee for the updation andacceptance of the Standard.

ISO 6538:1997 Cassia,Chinese type, Indonesian typeand Vietnamese type

ISO 6539:1997 Cinnamon,Srilanka type, Seychelle typeand Madagascan type.

(From left) Sri. Firdos Ahmad Nephvi, Associate Professor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology, Smt.Madhulika Prakash, Scientist-F & Deputy Director General , BIS, NewDelhi (Secretary- ISO/TC 34/SC 7 Committee), Sri. V J Kurian. I A S, Chairman, Spices Board (Chairman - ISO/TC 34/SC 7 Committee )and Sri. K R K Menon, Senior Scientist(QC), Spices Board at themeeting.

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SPICES BOARD PAVILION AT SIAL PARIS

Dr. Y.S. Rao, Sr Scientist [second from left] and MrsMR Vijayalakshmi [Third] seen in discussion withbuyers

Visitors at the Spices Board pavilion in SIAL Paris

The Spices Board has put up a pavilion atthe SIAL fair in Paris held during October 19 to23, 2008. There was a good presence of Indianexporters in the pavilion of which some were pro-vided with individual slots.

A good number of visitors including buyersand traders visited the pavilion and held discus-sions with the Indian team. Dr. YS. Rao, SeniorScientist and Mrs MR Vijayalakshmi, Assistant

HONORARYRUSSIAN CONSULATE

THIRUVANANTHAPURAMMr. Rateesh C Nair has been appointed Hon-

orary Consul of Russian Federation inThiruvananthapuram. The address is as follows:

Honorary Consulate of Russian FederationGorki BhavanamS.Roerach RoadUniversity P.O.

Thiruvananthapuram 695 034Tel: 0471 2338399, Fax: 0471 2338766

E-mail: russiancatre@eth.net

Director coordinated the Indian pavilion. Therewere serious enquiries for organic spices besidesfor curry powder, mixes and whole spices. Thepavilion had representation from Orient Spices,Kottayam, Sri Chakra, Kottyam, Vidur Exports,Mumbai, Grover Sons, Mumbai, KM Ganatra,Mumbai, Green Bowl, Mumbai, AG Exports,Chenai, MM Poonjiaji, Mumbai, Garlico, Indoreand Ann Impex, Kalady, Cochin.

The Government of India has dereserved "Groundand Processed Spices other than Spice Oil and Ole-oresin Spices" (Product code 21920101) under the Foodand Allied Industries with effect from 10th October,2008.

This is in accordance with the request of the SpicesBoard to Government of India to de-reserve spices andspice products from the list of items reserved for ex-clusively manufacturing in the Small scale. This requestwas made to develop the Indian spice industry as aprocessing hub and to enhance development in theprocessing and value addition sectors. It is for the spiceindustry now to make use of the deservation for ex-panding the processing capabilities.

SMALL UNITS CATEGORY:GOVT. DE-RESERVES GROUND,

PROCESSING OF SPICES

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REGIONAL SEMINAR ON CARDAMOM AT ATTAPADY HILLSCardamom meetings

A Regional Seminar on cardamom wasorganized on 23rd September 2008 at AHADSSeminar hall at Agali. Shri T K Ravi, Joint ProjectDirector, Attapady Hill Area DevelopmentSociety (AHADS), Agali presided over theseminar. Dr J Thomas, Director (Res), ICRI,Myladumpara delivered the inaugural addressand an overview of cardamom production inIndia. Dr K M Kuruvalla, Scientist, ICRI took aclass on varieties in cardamom and nurserymanagement practices. Dr Vadiraj, Scientist, ICRIdetailed the soil fertility management practicesin cardamom. Dr S S Chandrasekhar, Scientist,

A view of audience attending the cardamom seminar

Dr.J.Thomas, Director (Research) ICRI, deliveringthe inaugural address at the Regional seminar oncardamom held at Agali .

ICRI narrated the IPM / IDM practices incardamom. In the afternoon, Smt LovelyAugustine, Deputy Project Director, AHADSexplained the integrated pepper managementpractices. Shri M S Ramalingam, Senior Fieldofficer, Spices Board, Coimbatore briefly outlinedthe developmental schemes of the Board. Shri. VJ Joseph, Assistant Director, Spices Board,Rajakumary welcomed the gathering. Shri V KKurian, a progressive farmer delivered the voteof thanks.

Shri.E.K.Jose, FieldOfficer, SpicesBoard, Peermadeexplaining theaspects of qualityimprovement incardamom to thefarmers ofKannimarchola on23rd September2008.

KANNIMARCHOLA

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Planters – Scientists Interface was held on 25th

September 2008 at Nelliyampathy in associationwith the Nelliyampathy Planters Association.Shri Devadas, Manager, AVT Estate andExecutive Member, Nelliyampathy PlantersAssociation welcomed the gathering. Dr JThomas, Director (Res), ICRI, Myladumparaemphasis the necessity for production of qualitycardamom for exports. A presentation on qualitycardamom production was made. Scientists ofICRI viz. Dr K M Kuruvalla,, Dr Vadiraj, Dr S SChandrasekhar participated in the Interface andanswered the planters’ queries on cardamomcultivation . Shri M S Ramalingam, Senior Fieldofficer, Coimbatore proposed the vote of thanks.

PLANTERS – SCIENTISTS INTERFACEAT NELLIYAMPATHY

A view of cardamom planters participating in theseminat at Nelliyampathy

View of cardamom planters attending the meetingof quality improvement of cardamom in Springvalley organized by the Peermade Field Officer ofSpices Board on 24th September 2008

SPRING VALLEY

View of cardamom planters attending the qualityimprovement training programme of cardamom heldon 18th September 2008 in Vazhaveedu organizedby the Field Office, Spices Board, Vandanmedu

VAZHAVEEDU

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Dr.M.N.Venugopal, Principle Scientist, IISR,Appangala addressing the growers in the cardamomtraining programmes held at Kakkabe in Karnataka.

KAKKABE

A view of cardamom growers in the cardamomtraining held in Kakkabe

Shri.M.Y.Honnur, Senior Field Officer, Spices Board,Somwarpet taking class on cardamom nurserymanagement to the farmers in Kaloor in Karnataka.

KALOOR

A view of training programme

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Cardamom planters of Rajakandom attending theclass on quality improvement training programmeof cardamom on 30th September 2008 organized bythe Field Office, Spices Board, Vandanmedu

RAJAKANDOM

A view of cardamom growers attending the trainingat Madenadu

MADENADU

View of cardamom growers attending the practicaltraining of acid treatment of cardamom seeds atBhagamandala. Shri.T.S.Rajagopal Achar,Talakaveri Trust (middle) inaugurated the trainingprogramme.

BHAGAMANDALA

View of cardamom planters attending the class oncardamom nursery management at Birunani

BIRUNANI

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KRISHI MELA –2008

The members of Sthree Sakthi Sangh fromMaharashtra visited the Boards’s stall organizedinconnection with the Krishi Mela 2008 held at UAS,Dharwad from 4-7th October 2008. Shri.P.K.Suresh,Deputy Director, Shri.T.S.Ravindra, ExtensionAssistant and Shri.S.N.Dharmappa, SGFM SpicesBoard organized the participation of the exhibition.

The heads of various NGO’s in Dharwad districtvisited the Board’s stall in the Krishi Mela.

FI INDIA 2008

Business visitors at theBoard’s stall organizedduring Fi India 2008 held atBombay Exhibition Centre,Mumbai from 3 to 4thOctober 2008.Shri.K.Nanjundeswaran,Assistant Director (Mktg),Spices Board, Mumbai(extreme right) organizedthe Board’s participation inthe exhibition

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HINDI FORTNIGHT CELEBRATIONSSAKLESHPUR

Kum.Athmika D/o Shri.Srikrishna Bhat participating in thenumber counting competition in hindi inconnection with thehindi fortnight celebrations held on 18th September 2008 at RRS,ICRI, Donigal in Sakleshpur, Karnataka.

View of staff and children participated in the programme.

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II Pestmanagement

NURSERY

Observe for germination of seeds sown during previous months.

Once sprouting observed remove the mulch material and coverinterspaces thinly with sliced mulch materials.Overhead pandal to be erected to protect the seedlings from directsunlight.

Irrigation may be done to bed nursery/polybag nursery/suckernursery based on necessity.

To control damping off/seedling rot diseases in nursery, soildrenching with 0.2 per cent copper oxychloride or 0.2 per centmancozeb may be taken up.As bio-control measure, trichoderma or Pseudomonas or Bacillusspecies may be applied in the soil.

For controlling leaf rot disease, spray 0.3 per cent mancozeb and forcontrolling leaf spots spray 0.25 per cent difoltalan or 0.2 per centbavistin after noticing early symptoms.

MAIN FIELDMulch the base of the plants with organic waste materials.

In areas where weeding is not carried out, clean weeding at the baseof the plants and slash weeding in the inter spaces can be adoptedand use the weeded material as a mulch.To check incidence of root grubs, beetles may be trapped by nets.

Towards Integrated Pest Management, dry leaves may be pruned andspraying of Profenofos 150 ml per 100 liters of water may be takenup during the month in rainfed as well as irrigated areas.

Spray should coincide with shoot borer moth emergence.

Adequate drainage facility to be provided wherever necessary to avoidincidence of fungal disease if North East monsoon continues.Keep constant vigil for any katte virus affected plants to uproot anddestroy, if found.

If leaf blight disease is observed, spray one per cent Bordeaux mixtureor 0.4 per cent Akomin.

CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS FORIMPORTANT SPICES - DECEMBER 2008

Timely planning and execution of farm operations based on agroclimatic conditions of the areais important for successful farming for higher productivity and sustainability. To facilitate this acalendar of operations in respect of important spice crops for December is given below.

Name of the crop/Type of operation Details of the operations

CARDAMOMI Agronomic measures

III Diseasemanagement

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For controlling leaf rust and chenthal & leaf spots, spray 0.25per centMancozeb or Companion.

If symptoms of stem lodging are noticed, spray 0.2 per cent Bavistinon pseudo stem.

Root rot and leaf yellowing can be controlled by foliar spray and soildrenching with 0.2 per cent Bavistin or Carbendazim + Mancozeb.

If symptoms of capsule brown spot (Anthracnose) are noticed, spraywith 0.2 per cent Bavistin.Harvesting can be continued with a gap of 25 to 30 days dependingupon the weather conditions and maturity of capsules. Ensure always,right maturity for better out-turn.

Wash harvested capsules thoroughly before drying in curing chamber.Timely removal of water vapour from curing chamber and maintainingproper temperature during curing will result in better green colour ofthe produce.Clean and store the cured cardamom at 10 per cent moisture level inblack polythene lined gunny bags and inside wooden boxes.

NURSERY

Weeding may be attended in sucker nursery depending on thenecessity. The nursery beds may be mulched properly with dried leavesto prevent weed growth and as soil moisture conservation measure.

If any symptoms of disease/pest infestation are noticed, it may becontrolled immediately.

Depending on the rain fall condition, irrigation may be provided.

MAINFIELDHarvesting may be continued in high altitude areas.

The mother clump after harvesting can be collected and destroyed bydumping it in pit or by burning in isolated place to minimize theinfection of pest & diseases.The harvested spikes may be heaped overnight and capsules may beseparated for curing.

The cured capsules may be rubbed on wire mesh for cleaning andremoval of calyx (tail).

After removal of tails from the capsules, the dried cardamom shouldbe kept in polythene lined jute bags and stored on wooden platform toavoid absorption of moisture.

After processing, the moisture percentage in the dried capsules shouldnot be more than 10 per cent for better shelf life.

Chirke and Foorkey infected plants may be destroyed by uprooting/burial at regular intervals.

Regular inspections may be carried out to observe caterpillar/shootborer incidence, if any may be hand picked and destroyed mechanically.

LARGECARDAMOM

IV Harvest andpost harvestoperations

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II Disease management

III. Harvestingand post harvestoperations

II Disease management

III Harvest andPost harvestOperations

GINGER

VANILLAI Agronomicmeasurers

If sufficient moisture is not available in the soil, the cardamom plantsmay be irrigated.

Selection and labelling of good mother vines for collection of plantingmaterials can be continued.

Wherever shade is inadequate, provide temporary cover with dryarecanut/coconut fronds or tree twigs for young vines to protect fromdirect sun light.

Mulch the base of the vines with organic waste materials like driedleaves, weeds etc., to conserve the soil moisture.

The growing vines may be tied to the standard and trained properly.Vines affected by little leaf or phyllody may be uprooted and destroyed.

Continue harvesting. Harvest when the spike attains the right maturityby watching for colour change in one or two berries in a spike fromgreen to orange or red.

Always ensure threshing of pepper by hygienic means either manuallyor using mechanical pepper thresher.

For drying use only clean drying yards, clean bamboo mats orpolythene sheets.

Provide individual shade to newly planted vines/seedlings witharecanut/coconut fronds or tree twigs to avoid the effect of directsunlight.

Irrigate the vines wherever necessary based on weather condition.

Always ensure adequate mulch material with organic debris.

Tying of vines to the standard to be continued based on necessity.If flowering observed in lower elevations, pollinate the flowersmanually with the help of skilled labourers between 6.00 a.m. to 1.00p.m. on the day of opening of the flower.Vanilla vines exhibiting any viral symptoms are to be immediatelyremoved and destroyed.

Continue harvesting. Harvest when light yellowing is observed atthe distal end of the bean to ensure better quality of cured beans.

Adopt Bourbon method for processing the beans or sell green beansimmediately after harvest.

Drying of shoots indicates the maturity of ginger rhizomes.If ready for harvest already marked plants may be harvested separatelyfor using them later as seed rhizomes.

The remaining plants can be harvested on seeing the indication ofmaturity.

Seed rhizomes may be soaked in 0.3 per cent dithane M 45 and 0.1 percent malathion solution for 30 minutes. Then drain and dry undershade.

PEPPERI Agronomicmeasurers

II Storage of seedrhizomes

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CHILLI

TURMERIC

III Post harvestmanagement

Store them in pits under shade with alternate layers of sand or sawdust with ginger rhizomes. Leave some gap over the top layer andclose the pit either with a wooden/earthen lid with holes or coconutfronds.

For making dried ginger, the harvested rhizomes are thoroughlywashed in water.Then outer skin is removed with sharpened bamboo splits.

Soaking the rhizomes overnight in water will help easy pealing of theouter skin.

The pealed rhizomes are spread uniformly on clean drying yards/bamboo mats/polythene sheets and allowed to dry for seven to ninedays with occasional turning.

Drying of shoots indicates the maturity of turmeric rhizomes.If ready for harvest already marked plants may be harvested separatelyfor using them later for seed purpose.

The remaining plants can be harvested on seeing the indication ofmaturity.Seed rhizomes may be soaked in 0.3 per cent dithane M 45 and 0.1 percent malathion solution for 30 minutes. Then drain and dry undershade.Store them in pits under shade with alternate layers of sand or sawdust with turmeric rhizomes. Leave some gap over the top layer andclose the pit either with a wooden/earthen lid with holes or coconutfronds.

Cure the finger and mother rhizomes separately for better quality ofthe produce.Curing is to be done by boiling rhizomes in fresh water and drying insun.

After cooking sun dry the rhizomes by spreading in five to seven cmthick layers on clean bamboo mats or cement yards for 10-15 days forproper drying.

Polish the dried turmeric using a mechanical polisher.

Apply fertilizer @ 50:25 kg/hectare of nitrogen & potash.Irrigate once in 20-25 days in black soils & 10-15 days in red loamysoils.

Spray captain 1.5 grams or mancozeb 2.5 grams or copper oxychloridethree grams per liter of water to control die back & fruit rot diseases.For monitoring pod borers change the lure of Pheromone traps andapply N.P.V. @ 200 liters per acre or acephate One gram per liter.

Crop should be irrigated at an interval of 15-20 days if optimummoisture is not available in the soil.

To control ramularia blight spraying of 0.2 per cent mancozeb 75 w.p.may be done.

I Harvesting

II Storage of seedrhizome

III Post harvestmanagement

FENNEL(Kharif transplanted)

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FENUGREEK

Spray any systemic insecticide to control aphid, if observed.Irrigation should be given as per need.Top dressing of 22.5 kg. nitrogen per hectare may be done.Intercultural operation and hand weeding may be done during firstweek and earthing up may be done during second fortnight.To control ramularia blight spraying of 0.2 per cent mancozeb 75 w.p.may be done.Spray any systemic insecticide to control aphid.Irrigation should be given as per need.Top dressing of 22.5 kg. nitrogen per ha. may be done around 15th

December.Intercultural operation and hand weeding may be done during firstweek.While doing interculture harrow should be adjusted in such a waythat sufficient soil is thrown near the stem of plants to supplement theearthing up operation.To control ramularia blight spraying of 0.2 per cent mancozeb 75 w.p.may be done.Spray any systemic insecticide to control aphid, if observed.Second weeding may be carried out during second fortnight and cropmay be irrigated.Last dose of 20 kg. nitrogen per hectare recommended for irrigatedcrop may be top dressed.To control powdery mildew dust 300 mesh sulphur powder @ 25 kg/hectare in the early morning hours.Spray any systemic insecticide to control aphid, if observed.Weeding and hoeing may be done during second week. 15 kg nitrogenper ha. may be top dressed one month after germination of seeds.Irrigation may be given at an interval of 15 days.To control blight disease spraying of 0.2 per cent mancozeb 75 w.p.may be done during 2nd week and thereafter three more spraying at aninterval of 10 days.One to two round weeding may be done in nursery.Irrigations in nursery may be continued at an interval of 10-15 daystill seedling become ready for transplanting.

Thinning of plants may be done to maintain the plant spacing at about8-10 cm. in broadcasted crop.Weeding and hoeing may be carried out during first week and repeatafter 20-25 days. After thinning & weeding crop may be irrigated.20 kg. nitrogen per hectare may be top dressed during first week.Second irrigation may be given 20-25 days after first irrigation.

FENNEL

(Rabitransplanted)

FENNEL

(Rabidrilled)

CORIANDER

CUMIN

CELERY

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MONTHLY AVERAGE PRICES OF SPICES FOR OCTOBER 2008SPICE CENTRE GRADE PRICERS/KG

SPICES SOURCESAverage FOB export price -August 2008

Prices are collected from secondary sources like Agricultural Produce Market committees, KiranaMerchants Association, India Pepper and Spice Trade Association, Licensed Cardamom Auctioneersetc.

Black Pepper Kochi Ungarbled 124.91Garbled 130.91

Cardamom small Vandanmettu e-auction 574.36(Auction)

Bodinayakanur e-auction 554.96Saklaspur 464.51Sirsi 454.62Maharashtra 705.63

Cardamom (L) Siliguri Badadana 144.00Chotadana 133.00

Chillies Virudhnagar 49.83Ginger (Dry) Kochi Best 91.25

Medium 86.25Turmeric Kochi Alleppey Finger 46.88

Bombay Rajpuri Finger 71.00Bombay Duggirala 40.63

Coriander Indori 78.50Kanpuri 86.00

Cumin Bombay 4% 103.91Fennel Bombay - 55.25Fennugreek Bombay - 32.19Mustard Chennai - 33.14Garlic Bombay - 12.50Celery Bombay - 63.00Clove Cochin - 280.00Nutmeg(with shell) Cochin - 136.52Nutmeg(without shell) 230.00Mace Cochin - 404.78Cassia Chennai - 69.86Vanilla* 825.00

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Black Pepper U.S.A MG-1 3.51 170.73

White Pepper U.S.A Muntok 5.31 258.28

Cardamom(Small) Saudi Arabia India Asta Extra Bold 15.62 759.76

Chillies U.S.A India S4 2.43 118.20

Chinese Small 3.64 177.05

Ginger(Dry) U.S.A Chinese Sliced 1.92 93.39

Turmeric U.S.A AFT 5..50 Curcumin 1.87 90.96

Coriander U.S.A Canadian 1.83 89.01

Cumin U.S.A Indian 3.04 147.87

Fennel Egyptian fancy 1.68 81.72

Fennugreek U.S.A Ind/Turkey 1.15 55.94

Clove U.S.A Mad/Zan/Com 5.42 263.63

AVERAGE INTERNATIONALSPOT PRICES FOR OCTOBER 2008

AVERAGE IMPORT PRICE OF VANILLA IN TO USA

GRADE/ORIGIN MARKET AUGUST’ 08 US $/KG

Madagascar USA 22.48Indonesia USA 22.18India USA 25.46Uganda USA 11.23

Exchange Rate 1 US $ = Rs. 48.64

SOURCE: 1.A.A. SAYIA & CO.INC.HOBOKEN

SPICE MARKET GRADE (USD/KG) (RS/KG)

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REGISTEREDNo. KL/EKM/105/2006-08RNI No. 44664/88

SPICE INDIAEnglish Monthly, November 2008Price per copy Rs. 5/-