Withdraw MIP on pepper urges spice export industry

Spice export industry urges again to withdraw MIP (minimum import price) notification on pepper imports. Exports said having MIP on pepper will have bad impact on other spice exports from India.

It is  estimated that the export industry has directly or indirectly lost business worth ₹50-75 crore in the last three months due to policy changes,also Indian spice industry uncompetitive in the international markets. 

Pepper is always exported in combination with other processed spices out of India and rarely in isolation. Customers will prefer to buy the entire basket of the spices comprising pepper, turmeric, paprika from a single source said Prakash Namboodiri, Chairman, All India Spices Exporters Forum.

“If we import pepper at a high price of ₹500/kg, our export obligation would neither be achievable nor will the global customers buy from India at over 40 per cent of the international market prices,” he said.

Read more : BusinessLine