As exports grow and imports rise, gaps in policy support, MSP absence, and post-harvest systems expose vulnerabilities in India’s turmeric ecosystem

India leads the global turmeric supply chain, being the largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric. The major turmeric export markets for the country are Bangladesh, the UAE, and the US. It accounts for over 62 per cent of the market, with its supply chain spanning cultivation in key states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Bihar.

This yellow spice from the Curcuma longa plant serves as both a culinary staple and a traditional remedy with anti-inflammatory properties.Though India is one of the largest producers of turmeric, the country imports a substantial amount from other countries. Erratic climatic conditions, value addition, product innovation and product development appear weaker, leading to a shortfall in output. Proper strategies should be in place to boost turmeric production and the supply chain. Let’s dig deeper. 

Known turmeric clusters are located in Erode (Tamil Nadu), Nizamabad (Telangana) and Sangli (Maharashtra) and are equipped with the latest sorting, grading and packaging innovations to meet global standards.

Noteworthy Geographic Indication (GI) tags are Erode Turmeric from Tamil Nadu; Lakadong Turmeric from Meghalaya; Kandhamal Haladi from Odisha; Waigaon Turmeric from Nagpur in Maharashtra; Sangli Turmeric from Maharashtra; Vasmat Haldi from Maharashtra, which has been recently registered from Maharashtra’s Hingoli district. Recently, the ‘Rajendra Sonia’ variety in the Samastipur district of Bihar is in the process of staking claim for the GI tag, which has a high curcumin content of 7 to 8 per cent. The major turmeric importing countries from India are Bangladesh (26,285 tonnes), UAE (22,062 tonnes), Malaysia (6,419 tonnes), US (6,689 tonnes), Morocco (6,288 tonnes), and Iran (6,094 tonnes).

Policy interventions

Realising the export potential of turmeric, the Government of India has rolled out various policies.  A year ago, the National Turmeric Board was launched on January 14, 2025, by Union Minister Piyush Goyal with headquarters in Nizamabad, Telangana.

CII Telangana, in collaboration with the National Turmeric Board, organised the maiden edition of Turmeric Value Chain Summit 2025 with the theme Innovation & Opportunities in Turmeric for Viksit Bharat 2047 in Hyderabad.

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