Spice exports slip 20% amid concern over safety of MDH, Everest products

Notably, in 2023-24, India’s spice exports totalled $4.25 billion compared to $3.7 billion in 2022-23. India’s exports account for a 12 per cent share of the global spice exports. The major spices exported from India include chilli powder, cumin, turmeric and cardamom among others.

Industry associations and think tanks had warned that the safety and quality related concerns could hit spice exports. Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), in a report had said that India’s spice exports could be impacted if other geographies such as European Union (EU) and China reject Indian spice consignments.

The Spices Board of India had said last month that it is looking at corrective actions such as use of steam sterilization technology and tracking of the food supply chain is being looked at to prevent future rejections.

Hong Kong on April 5 asked its citizens not to consume four products of Indian manufacturers MDH and Everest Food Products citing the presence of pesticide, ethylene oxide (EtO). Later on April 18, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) ordered the recall of Everest’s fish curry masala stating that it had ethylene oxide at a level which is “not fit for human consumption”.

Reuters reported that Rajasthan has started recalling some batches of popular MDH and Everest spices, which were found to be unsafe for consumption. Rajasthan told the federal government in a letter it found a batch of Everest’s cumin powder and a batch each of two MDH spice blends unsafe after tests.

Officials had earlier pointed out that every country arrives at a different residue level as it depends on the dietary choices. “We should not believe that if a product breaches MRL levels in one country, it cannot be consumed. Some other country might be consuming it. There is no standard on EtO in CODEX. A number of countries have not defined MRL for 2-Chloroethanol,” an official had said.