Agriculture Department to register spice product manufacturers

Sri Lanka spice product manufacturers are to be registered with the Agriculture Ministry with the aim of streamlining the export agriculture services and to ensure quality standards and preserve originality, the Agriculture Department announced.   

Small medium and large spice industrialists will have to be certified by the department to export their products and therefore registration is compulsory, Director General of the Department Ms. P. Malathi said.      

It will enable the manufacturers of pepper, coffee, cocoa, cardamom, cloves, dried areca nuts, nutmeg, vanilla, citrus, fish tamarind, turmeric, ginger, condiments and betel to receive services of the department without any hindrance, she added.   

Although there is demand for Sri Lankan spices internationally, there has been no system to ensure the quality of spices exported from the country.

As a result small and medium spice producers have faced great difficulties in entering the export market of spices, several manufacturers complained.

Sri Lanka produces many spices which have a great demand in in many countries including the United States, United Kingdom, India, Maldives Germany, Canada, Italy, Australia, France, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

The Sri Lanka spice brand name has been damaged due to the export of substandard, adulterated spices by some errant traders, Ms. Malathi disclosed adding that the new registration system will prevent such practices. (Bandula)