Covid impact: India’s spices export to Bangladesh by rail gets a boost

Raising shipments of spices by rail to Bangladesh in the past one particular thirty day period has provided a fillip to exports from the country, hampered by logistics constraints due to Covid-19.

The initiative by the Railways has opened a new platform for the export of spices consignments to the neighbouring country of Bangaldesh, facilitating less difficult, a lot quicker and safer dispatch of bulk quantities at a considerable price tag reduction of 60 for each cent in comparison to roadways. This is expected to profit the tiny and medium players in the industry, stated Spices Board officials.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdown presented a new dimension to the export of spices from the country. Globally, there has been an enhanced demand from customers for spices with immunity-boosting properties and we could cater to it irrespective of the limitations confronted in freight movement. Proactive and price tag-helpful measures for transportation like exporting to Bangladesh by rail benefited farmers and exporters alike,” stated D Sathian, Secretary, Spices Board.

From June to November this year, 8,964 tonnes of turmeric have been exported by rail to Bangladesh from the Andhra Pradesh-Telengana belt, in addition to other spices these types of as chilli (four,300 tonnes), cumin (one hundred tonnes) and so forth.

Sathian stated that with aid from the South Central Railways, the 1st coach moved all-around one,900 tonnes of turmeric from Nizamabad to Benapole in Bangladesh in June, by means of Ranaghat in West Bengal. Adhering to match, other spices these types of ended up also sent by rail.

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Bangladesh is one particular of the main export places for Indian spices, and retains a share of all-around nine for each cent in quantity and 5 for each cent in price of the country’s whole spice exports — which crossed $3 billion in 2019-20. Through the period, all-around one,38,903 tonnes of spices valued at ₹1,249 crore ended up exported to Bangladesh and the key items exported are cumin, chilli, ginger, turmeric and so forth.

More opening up of the rail mode of export, amongst others, has served boost the in general spice exports to Bangladesh, which crossed a quantity of 99,301 tonnes for the duration of April-August valued at ₹975 crore, registering a extraordinary raise of 181 for each cent in amount phrases around the corresponding period of the past year.

Earlier around ninety five for each cent of India’s spice exports to Bangladesh was routed by the ports of Ghojadanga, Mundra, Hili, Mohadipur, Petrapole, Nhava Sheva or by street in tiny quantities. The unexpected issues posed by Covid have paved the way for novel indicates to maintain source back links of spices irrespective of logistic impediments, the Board officials stated.

The Board convened an on the web conversation of the spices exporters with the officials of the South Central & Southern Railway zones, to demonstrate the operational modalities as effectively as to stimulate the exporters in utilising the chance to the fullest. The exporters have revealed keen fascination to change around to rail as the favored mode for transport, considering the possible benefit of uninterrupted movement of consignments, amidst the Covid constraints.

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