ICAR – CCARI, Goa organized a Farmers' Training Programme on "Advances in Processing and Value Addition Technologies for Spices" under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahostav

  A Farmers’ Training Programme, “Advances in Processing and Value Addition Technologies for Spices”, sponsored by Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), Kozhikode, Kerala under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahostav was organized at ICAR-CCARI, Goa during 21st and 22nd April 2022.

    Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director, ICAR – CCARI, Goa, in his inaugural remarks stressed on the importance of spices, their role in fetching higher/additional income through primary processing of spices and urged the farmers to utilize the processing facilities created at the institute.

    Two days’ training programme which had both technical and practical sessions on various aspects of processing in spices was coordinated by Dr A R Desai, for fifty participants comprising of young graduates, spice farmers and the enthusiastic entrepreneurs alike.  

    On the first day, Dr. M Madhava Naidu (Chief Scientist, Department of Spices and Flavour Sciences, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru, Karnataka) made an elaborative presentation on the topic “Processing and Value Addition in Spices: Prospects and Opportunities”. Dr Naidu gave a detailed account of information about various advanced technologies developed at CFTRI, for processing of ginger (candy, paste, beverage), turmeric (extraction of oleoresin, colour constituents,), black pepper (white pepper, green dehydrated pepper), Chilies (green chili paste, Red chili paste, colour constituents), Tamarind paste, Kokum concentrate, rapid curing of vanilla beans for vanillin concentrate, etc.  Further, he also enlightened the trainees about the quality standards of spices & the products and analytical facilities available in laboratories of CSIR-CFTRI for quality analysis of spices & spice products for export market.

    On the second day, “Processing and Commercialization of value added Products: An Experience of TEAM-24 with special reference to Spice Products” was discussed by Shri. Sachin Rane (Director, Team 24, Food & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., Panaji, Goa). He shared his practical experience of two decades, with participants about successful products like ImmuneUp (Spiced herbal kadha), Kokum and ginger flavoured beverages, immunity booster herbal teas, etc., besides the packaging designs and product promotional strategies for effective marketing and lucrative business.     

     Shri. Chinmay Tanshikar, Proprietor, Tanshikar Spice Farm, Netrawali, Goa, enlightened the trainees about the lucrative farming of vanilla, harvesting of beans and complete techniques for curing of vanilla beans, their grading and storage. He also briefed the participants about the current market trends and scope for commercial vanilla cultivation in coastal region. Central and State Government Schemes for supporting the Processing of Value Added Products of Spices were aptly and precisely highlighted by Smt. Geeta Joshi (Planning Officer, Directorate of Industries, Trade and Commerce, Government of Goa) and urged the participants to take advantage of the schemes. Various financial schemes for creating infrastructures for start ups were also presented.

    The active interaction and hands on practical demonstrations on primary processing of turmeric (cooking, drying, polishing and pulverizing), technique for harvesting cinnamon, standard propagation technique of vanilla and curing of vanilla beans, process of making dry ginger, extraction of essential oil from spices, Nutmeg pericarp taffy, etc. were unique features of the training programme. Technical Officers –Mrs. Pranjali Wadekar, Shri Omar de Souza, Shri Yoganand Gaude and Young Professionals facilitated in coordinating the overall programme and practical demonstrations. All the trainees were issued the certificates in the plenary session for their participation in the training programme.