India is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of spices, including the ‘Golden Spice of India’, turmeric. Over 30 varieties of turmeric are cultivated in India across more than 20 states, of which six varieties have a geographical indication (GI) tag to safeguard and promote their uniqueness. As of 2023, India accounts for 73.40 per cent of global production and 66.56 per cent of global exports of turmeric, driven by its diverse range of end-uses, including dyes, cosmetics, food, traditional medicines (Ayurveda) and modern preventive care (nutraceuticals).
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, has projected that turmeric exports will reach USD 1 billion by 2030. Aligned with this vision, the report outlines a roadmap to elevate India’s position in the global value chain from an exporter of raw and intermediate products to unlocking the full potential of the ‘Make in India’ initiative for value-added products. The report is based on secondary data and information analysis, and a primary survey of value chain partners. The report is the first of its kind to capture the entire value chain of a key spice grown in India with an aim to support the governments at the Centre and states to come up with targeted policies for value addition in the country and linking farmers and small manufacturers to global value chains. If the recommendations are implemented, it will bring in investment in manufacturing and across the value chain. The report is of value to manufacturers, their value chain partners, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders working towards enhancing India’s standing in product-specific value chains.
Dr Arpita Mukherjee is a Professor at ICRIER. She has over 30 years of experience in policy-oriented research, working closely with the Government of India and policymakers in the European Commission and its member states, the United States of America (USA), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and in East Asian countries. She has conducted over 60 sector specfic studies for various governments, international organisations, industry associations, non-government organisations and companies.
Her areas of expertise include trade, investment and trade facilitation, services, agriculture and manufacturing supply chains (domestic and cross-border), and special economic zones/economic corridors. She specialises in sector and product-specific market trends, go-to market strategy and government policies.
Dr Mukherjee has a PhD in Economics from the University of Portsmouth, UK, and prior to joining ICRIER, she worked with the UK-based think-tank Policy Studies Institute and taught at the University of Portsmouth. She has over 80 publications including in national and international refereed journals, books and book chapters and government reports. Dr Mukherjee is a member of various government committees and policy panels and is on the editorial board of 10 journals. She has presented her work in various conferences and seminars and is on the advisory board of industry associations and non-government organisations. She is a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines.
Dr Souvik Dutta is an Assistant Professor (SSH) at the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Delhi. He completed his PhD in Economics from Pennsylvania State University in 2014. He uses both analytical modelling and econometrics in his research. Some of his current areas of interest are in the fields of political economy, microfinance and the economics of digital marketing. He has received several research grants from International Growth Centre (IGC), EfD and Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability (CDES). Before his PhD, Souvik obtained his master’s degree in economics from the Delhi School of Economics and his undergraduate degree in economics from Presidency College, Kolkata. Before joining IIIT-D, Souvik was a faculty at Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.
Ms Eshana Mukherjee is an External Consultant and, prior to that, was a Research Associate at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). She has worked on projects for the Indian government, foreign governments, multilateral organisations and industry associations on India’s trade, investment and trade barriers. She has conducted sector-specific studies covering sectors like food processing, information technology, non-alcoholic beverages and gems and jewellery. Her role in the projects include literature review, data analysis and report writing. Her research is a key input into policy making in India.
She completed her M.Sc. in International Economics from Erasmus School of Economics, and graduated from the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, with an M.Sc. in Business Economics and Finance.
Ms Ketaki Gaikwad is currently working as a Research Assistant at ICRIER. She has completed her MSc Economics with distinction from MIT World Peace University, Pune.
She has around two years of research experience, covering secondary data and information analysis and primary surveys. At ICRIER, she has been working on projects related to policy mapping and analysis, impact analysis and report writing. She has co-organised the 1st Asia Pacific E-Commerce Policy Summit, 2024, and is working on e-commerce and cross-border trade. Prior to joining ICRIER, she has worked with think tanks and research organisations like the Centre for Policy Research and Governance, Delhi, and Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune. During her academic course, she has been involved in diverse research projects and presented research papers at various conferences, including the 2nd BRICS Research Conference organised by the BRICS Research Institute at the University of Kota, Rajasthan.
Ms Trishali Khanna is a Research Assistant at ICRIER. Her areas of interest include international trade, development economics, and policy-making. She has more than three years of research and teaching experience. At ICRIER, Ms. Khanna is working on multiple projects, which aim to facilitate domestic reforms, implement the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and India’s integration in international trade. Her role involves conducting literature review, analysing data, and evaluating policies to support evidence-based decision-making. She co-organised the 1st Asia Pacific E-commerce Policy Summit in association with ESCAP and MSL, 2024
Ms Khanna has an MA (Economics) from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Ms Khanna is University Grant Commission NET Qualified in Economics. In addition to holding a patent in Methods and Systems for Automated Assessment of Sales Performance of Individuals, Ms Khanna has 2 Scopus, 2 ABDC and 1 Web of Science journal publications. She has presented her work at nine national and international conferences.
Ms Nandini Sen is a penultimate-year student at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Kolkata Campus, pursuing her MA in Economics with specialisation in trade and finance. She holds a BSc Honours in Economics from the University of Calcutta, where she acquired a strong and comprehensive foundation in economic theory.
As an intern at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), she explored several complex problems related to trade, export, policy-making and more, which significantly deepened her understanding of policy and international trade dynamics.
Ms Sen also served as the Editor of IIFT’s Annual Economics magazine, which allowed her to stay constantly abreast of contemporary economic issues, contributing insightful and well-researched articles and overseeing the entire publication process. Nandini has also actively engaged in the academic community by writing and presenting several papers at numerous national economic summits. These invaluable experiences have greatly honed her research and presentation skills.
Her primary interests lie in policy-making, with a strong focus on addressing critical issues of inequality, macroeconomics, trade and finance. She is passionate about crafting comprehensive policies promoting equitable economic growth and development.
In addition to her diligent academic and research pursuits, she is an accomplished and seasoned debater with a profound interest in drama and playwriting.
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