Spices Board looks to gauge interest in cardamom auction
The Indian Spices Board has invited expressions of interest from prospective entrepreneurs/auctioneers for awarding cardamom auction licence for a period of three years from 2014.
This initiative will open up the marketing system of small cardamom and is expected to attract more players to the small cardamom trade and might result in better price realisations, a press release from the board said.
The Business Standard reported that licence for e-auction will be issued only for the e-auction centres established by the board for small cardamom at Puttady in Kerala and Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu. Manual auction centres for small cardamom can be established anywhere in India other than in the states where the board has already established e-auction centres.
The press release added: “Spices Board is committed to promoting free trade in small cardamom and is in the process of exploring all avenues for facilitating opening of alternate marketing channels for small cardamom.
“For the Indian small cardamom industry to remain competitive in the global markets free trade of this commodity must be promoted and alternate channels for the domestic marketing of small cardamom should be devised along with removal of the rules which restrict the domestic marketing and sale of small cardamom.”
A Jayathilak, chairman of the Spices Board, commented: “Through revised auctioneer license system we are hoping to strengthen and broaden the marketing channels for cardamom through increased competition and participation.”
Earlier, in 2007 the Spices Board was seen as revolutionising the e-auction system for small cardamom by introducing electronic auction. The board established e-auction centres at Bodinaykanur in August 2007 and at Puttadi in December 2007.
