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National Turmeric Board

Published: 5th Oct, 2023

Context:

Recently, the Prime Minister has announced National Turmeric Board and Sammakka Sarakka Tribal University in Telangana.

About

  • The new tribal university would be named after the tribal deities Sammakka-Sarakka.

Sammakka and Sarakka are tribal deities who fought against the oppression of Kakatiya rulers.

  • Also, the establishment of the National Turmeric Board will benefit turmeric farmers in Nizamabad district.

Nizamabad, Nirmal and Jagtial districts in the Telengana ‘are known for their huge cultivation of turmeric’

Key Features of the Board:

  • It is a flagship organisation for promoting turmeric across the world.
  • It aims to encourage farmers from all corners of India to improve their produce in terms of quantity as well as quality.

About Turmeric:

  • Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is used as condiment, dye, drug and cosmetic in addition to its use in religious ceremonies.
  • India is a leading producer and exporter of turmeric in the world.
  • Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Assam are some of the important states cultivates

Andhra Pradesh alone occupies 35.0% of area and 47.0% of production.

  • Varieties: A number of cultivars are available in the country and are known mostly by the name of locality where they are cultivated. Some of the popular cultivars are Duggirala, Tekurpeta, Sugandham, Amalapuram, Erode local, Alleppey, Moovattupuzha, and Lakadong.
  • Uses:
  • Turmeric is used to flavour and to colour foodstuffs. It is a principal ingredient in curry powder.
  • Turmeric is also used as a dye in textile industry. It is used in the preparation of medicinal oils, ointments and poultice.
  • It is stomachic, carminative, tonic, blood purifier and an antiseptic. It is used in cosmetics. The aqueous extracts have biopesticidal properties.

Turmeric cultivation in India:

  • Turmeric can be grown in diverse tropical conditions from sea level to 1500 m above sea level, at a temperature range of 20-35 degrees Celcuis with an annual rainfall of 1500 mm or more, under rainfed or irrigated conditions.
  • Though it can be grown on different types of soils, it thrives best in well-drained sandy or clay loam soils with a pH range of 4.5-7.5 with good organic status.

Spices Board:

  • Spices Board was constituted on 26th February 1987 under the Spices Board Act 1986 with the merger of the erstwhile Cardamom Board (1968) and Spices Export Promotion Council (1960).
  • Spices Board is one of the five Commodity Boards functioning under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
  • It is an autonomous body responsible for the export promotion of the 52 scheduled spices and development of Cardamom (Small & Large).

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