SPICED Scheme

Prelims: Public policy| Government Initiatives | Current events of national and international importance.

Why in news?

The Spices Board recently unveiled the Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative, and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED) scheme for FY 2025–26.

• Nodal Agency- Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Aims to - Boost the productivity of small and large cardamom, enhance post-harvest quality, and encourage the production and export of value-added, GI-tagged, and organic spices.
• It also focuses on ensuring compliance with global food safety standards and strengthening stakeholder capacity across the value chain.
• It also offers financial assistance across various components to enhance sustainability, foster innovation, and promote export development in the Indian spices sector.
• Farm-Level Support - The scheme supports replanting and rejuvenation of cardamom, water resource development, micro-irrigation, organic farming, and Good agricultural practices (GAP).
• Financial assistance - Is provided for improved post-harvest infrastructure, including modern dryers, slicers, dehullers, and grading machines, guaranteeing superior product quality.
• Farmers & Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) - Can also procure essential machines like spice polishers and turmeric boilers.
• Entrepreneurship - SPICED supports the creation of Spice Incubation Centres, fostering entrepreneurship and product development for startups and MSMEs.
• Enhancing - Market access and branding for Indian spices.
• Capacity Building - Through training and extension services, the scheme empowers spice farmers, SHGs, and FPOs with the latest technical know-how, best practices, and crucial market intelligence, improving their overall capabilities.
• Export Promotion - The scheme assists in participating in international trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, and other market linkage programs.
• The scheme aids in export development and promotion by assisting first-time exporters and small businesses in participating in international trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, and market linkage programs, enabling them to showcase Indian spices globally
• Eligible - Exporters with a valid Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES), with preference given to first-time applicants and SMEs are Eligible
• Transparency & Accountability - All scheme activities will be geo-tagged. Information on fund availability, application status, and beneficiary lists will be publicly available on the Spices Board's website, ensuring full transparency.
• Cultivating India's Global Spice Leadership - The Spices Board is implementing the SPICED scheme to enhance India's global spice leadership through innovation, quality enhancement, and inclusive development, providing support to stakeholders throughout the application process.

References

1. Business line
2. United News of India