Amit Shah opens Turmeric Board office in Telangana

Nizamabad

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the National Turmeric Board headquarters in Nizamabad, Telangana, on Sunday. This comes nearly two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the board to support turmeric farmers.

During the 2023 elections, PM Modi promised to form this board to help farmers. Amit Shah said that now farmers won't rely on middlemen, as the board will handle packing, branding, marketing, and exports. Shah also talked about turmeric’s health benefits, calling it anti-viral, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory.

India grows turmeric with a high curcumin level, making it special worldwide. Shah shared that India aims to export turmeric worth USD 1 billion by 2030. Telangana, especially Nizamabad, will play a big role in this plan.

India is the largest producer, consumer, and exporter of turmeric, with over 62% of the global market. In 2023-24, India exported 1.62 lakh tonnes of turmeric and related products worth USD 226.5 million.

The Turmeric Board, officially formed in October 2023, plans to spread awareness about turmeric’s health benefits globally, develop new markets, support research, and create value-added products. It will also focus on training farmers and improving quality standards.

More than 30 varieties of turmeric are grown in India across 20 states, with Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu being top producers.

Prime Minister Modi earlier said that the board would help improve the entire value chain from farming to export, ensuring better incomes for farmers and boosting India’s global presence in turmeric.