An Overview of the Spice Board of India

The Spice Board of India was enacted on 26th February 1987 under the Spice Board Act, 1986, upon the merging of the Erstwhile Cardamom Board, established in 1968 and the Spices Export Promotion Council, established in 1960. The Spice Board of India is among the five Commodity Boards that all fall under the authorisation of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Spice Board is an autonomous body that is responsible for the promotion of export of the fifty–two scheduled spices and the development of both the large–scale and small–scale Cardamom Industry.

The following mentioned are the fifty–two spices listed in the Spice Board Act that fall under Schedule 2 of the Act -

Cardamom, Pepper, Chilli, Ginger, Turmeric, Coriander, Cumin, Fennel, Fenugreek, Celery, Aniseed, Bishop's weed, Caraway, Dill, Cinnamon, Cassia, Garlic, Curry leaf, Kokam, Mint, Mustard, Parsley, Pomegranate seed, Saffron, Vanilla, Tej Patta, Pepper long, Star Anise, Sweet flag, Greater Galanga, Horse-Radish, Caper, Clove, Asafoetida, Cambodge, Hyssop, Juniper berry, Bay leaf, Lovage, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Mace, Basil, Poppy Seed, All-Spice, Rosemary, Sage, Savoury, Thyme, Oregano, Tarragon, and Tamarind

Brief on Spice Board Registration

The Spice Board is regulated under the authorisation of the Government of India, essentially for the promotion of exporting of Indian Spices. Producers and Spice Merchants who are involved in the business of exporting of Indian Spices need to mandatorily register under the Spice Board where permission for exportation of fifty–two scheduled spices is granted upon approval by the Board.

Essential Functions of the Spice Board

The following list stated below specifies the essential functions of the Spice Board of India -

1. Domestic Marketing through Researching, Developing and Regulating the Small–Scale and Large–Scale Cardamom Industries
2. Enhancement of Spices post–harvesting of spices
3. Promoting Organic Production of Spices
4. Processing and providing Certification for Spices
5. Development of production of spices in the North East of India
6. Issuance of provisions for Quality Evaluation Services
7. Promoting exporting of spices through various methods such as -
8. Upgrading the quality of spices
9. Promoting the Banding of applicable spices
10. Research and product development of spices

Responsibilities of Spice Board for Promoting Export of Spices

The following responsibilities of the Spice Board of India that is required to be maintained for the purpose of promoting the export of spices -

1. Issuance of Quality Certifications and having authorisation of control over exporting of spices
2. Registering the Exporters of the spices
3. Collecting and Documenting information in relation to the trade business
4. Implying provisions and policies enacted by the Central Government of India in relation to the Importing and Exporting of Spices.

The Versatility of Activities provided by the Spice Board of India

The following activities mentioned below are the list of multi–faceted activities that are provided by the Spice Board -

1. Promoting the export of spices and the product manufactured of the spices
2. Monitoring the maintenance of the quality of spices being exported
3. Developing and implementing production improved manufacturing methods in accordance with the advancement and availability of technology and in terms of the economic status
4. Guiding the farmers in practising better improved scientific agricultural practices for getting improved quality yield results.
5. Maintenance of provisions for providing financial and material support to farmers
6. Encouraging farming, producing and exporting of organic spices
7. Providing financial and physical aid for processing of the Indian Spices
8. Registering and licensing of all exporters of the Indian Spices
9. Providing needed assistance and aid for studies and research purposes for improving the processing of spice products, a better quality of the management system, enhancement of the grading system, along with effective packaging methods.
10. Manufacturing of Promotional and Educative Materials for all types of media that results in benefiting the exporters and importers of the Indian Spices

Services provided for Exporters and Importers

The following pointers mentioned below are the services provided to the exporters and importers by the Spice Board of India -

1. Assisting the exporters and importers in the establishment of a mutual contact system
2. Identifying the competent supply of available supply sources as per the requirement of the importers
3. Processing and forwarding Foreign Trade Enquiries to trustworthy exporters
4. Organising of a common platform for enabling interaction among the Indian exporters and the foreign buyers by participating in major International Exhibitions, Meetings, Conferences, etc.
5. Examining complaints raised by the importers and the implication of preventive actions
6. Organising Quality Improvement Programme for Indian Spices
7. Managing a detailed and updated data that is stored for the exporters and the importers
8. Bringing International Bodies, Exporters, and Policy Makers closer via Group Contact Programmes
9. Making the presence of India recognisable majorly on an international level in International Food Fairs, by conducting food festivals and cooking demonstrations

The Necessity of Spice Board Registration

According to the Spice Board Act, 1986, it is mandatory for any individual or entity to obtain a Spice Board Registration Certificate before commencing any business activities related to the export of Indian spices.

Upon successful registration, the applicant—whether a producer or spice merchant—receives a document titled the "Certificate of Registration as an Exporter of Spices," commonly referred to as CRES.

Criteria for Rejection of Applications for Spice Board Registration

Below are the conditions under which an application for the Spice Board registration certificate may be rejected:

1. The Spice Board is empowered to cancel the certificate if the holder breaches any of its stipulated terms and conditions.

2. The Board also holds the authority to reject or revoke the certificate if instructed by the Central Government, especially in cases where public interest is at stake.

Documents Needed for Spice Board Registration

The following documents must be properly filled out and submitted when applying for the Spice Board Registration Certificate:

1. A duly filled application in Form - 1

2. A self-attested copy of the Import-Export Code (IEC) Certificate

3. The applicable registration fee submitted via a Crossed Demand Draft made in favor of the Spice Board

4. A copy of the Partnership Deed or the Memorandum and Articles of Association, depending on the business structure

5. A copy of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Registration Certificate

6. A certificate from the Directorate of Industries for Manufacturer-Exporters (if applicable)

7. A copy of the PAN Card of the applicant for identity verification

8. A passport-size photograph with a white background of either the company’s Chief Officer or the designated officer of the concerned firm

Procedure for Spice Board Registration Certificate

The application procedure for obtaining the Spice Board Registration Certificate involves five simple steps:

1. The applicant must first register on the official portal of the Spice Board of India. During registration, the applicant is required to submit their Import-Export Code (IEC) Certificate, contact number, and email ID. Once the contact number and email ID are successfully verified, the applicant will be directed to proceed with filling out the application form.

2. The details from the IEC Certificate must be submitted accurately, as the Certificate of Registration as an Exporter of Spices (CRES) is issued based on the information provided in the IEC. Along with this, the applicant must upload all the necessary documents as previously specified.

3. The applicant is then required to pay the applicable fee as prescribed for the application process.

4. All submitted documents are sent to the respective Regional Office authorized by the Spice Board for verification and evaluation. If any errors or discrepancies are found in the documents or application, the applicant will be notified and asked to rectify and re-submit the documents. Once the documents are found to be in order, they are forwarded to the Head Office (HO) for further processing and then returned to the relevant Regional Office.

5. Once the applicant’s details are registered with the Head Office, the exporter is officially registered with the Spice Board, and the Certificate of Registration as an Exporter of Spices is issued.

Penalty for Violation of Spice Board Certificate

If an individual begins spice export operations without obtaining the Spice Board Certification, the following penalties may apply:

1. Imprisonment, which may extend up to one year

2. Fine, which may extend up to INR 1000

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