Turmeric (botanically known as Curcuma longa Linn) also known as ‘golden spice of life’ is a root crop in the same family as ginger, yet it receives less attention from Nigerian farmers, despite having huge potentials for local industries and export. It is used in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. It is used as a spice and it is the major component of curry powder. Turmeric is also used in the cosmetics industry for its brilliant yellow color and characteristic perfume. It is also being used as a dye for colouring fabrics. It is medically used for the prevention and treatment of diverse kinds of diseases, including heart diseases, cancer, Alzheimer’s and various degenerative conditions.
The annual global market for spices, seasonings and herbs is estimated at a whopping $6.5billion, according to the International Trade Centre (ITC). The growth is supported by the growing demand in food service, home cooking and growing consumer fascination for different cuisines, and discovery of new uses of the product for medicinal and other uses.
World production level for turmeric is between 11-16 tonnes annually and out of these production figures, India accounts for over 78% of the annual production for turmeric. India is followed by China and Myanmar in Asia. Nigeria is the fourth largest producer of turmeric with about 3% of the global annual production.
However, although Nigeria can take the lead in turmeric production, her farmers are yet to properly understand the techniques for increased yield and processing, according to experts. Nigeria’s climate and soil conditions are very suitable for the cultivation of spices, according to experts. The way to go is to establish organic herb farms, especially in the southern parts of the country which has more suitable agro climate. The fertile soil of Southern and Western parts of the country provides an ideal landscape for fresh herb companies to grow their crops.
Turmeric is grown both under rain fed and irrigated conditions. Like other tuber crops, turmeric also requires deep soil tilt and heavy manure for high yields. After selecting suitable cultivation site, beds of convenient length and width are prepared, based on the topography of the land.
Soils for turmeric cultivation should be rich and friable with plenty of organic matter. Though turmeric is suited for a number of soil types, loams and sandy loam soils are preferable. Flat land with little or no slope is recommended. Bed preparation can be done by use of a tractor or manually, using a spade or a hoe. Planting is done mostly on raised beds when the rains must have stabilised i.e. May-June. Planting distance of 30 cm x 50 cm is often adopted for turmeric planting.
Turmeric can also be grown in intercrop with other crops such as maize, okra, pepper and mung bean. For good crop yield and maximum economic return, it is advisable to mulch turmeric plot after planting and fertilise turmeric plot using a combination of inorganic fertilisers like NPK and organic fertilisers such as poultry or cow dung manures.
Turmeric’s readiness for harvest is indicated by the drying of the plant and stem, approximately seven to 10 months after planting, depending on the soil and growing conditions.
However, the high value of these herbs in dollars and euros means that agro-entrepreneurs can earn more from exporting than selling locally, according to Mr. Sunny Anjorin, a member of Nigerian-Vietnam Business Association. Some entrepreneurs have contracts with shops, hotels and restaurants abroad and see huge market potential for herbs and spices. Anjorin, like other agro exporters, sees opportunities in exporting herbs and spices despite uncertainties over their prices.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Co-operative State Research Service Office for Small-Scale Agriculture, said the world market is extremely volatile, with prices ranging from less than $1 a pound for some herbs to more than $100 a pound for others.
But the market is large and growing. There are big markets in Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Holland, Italy, the United States and Canada. Currently, the European Union (EU) is the largest market for spices and herbs in the world.
Across Europe, the demand for herbs is growing with a large increase in people interested in using herbs in their homes, experimenting with culinary techniques and different cuisines.
A lot of small exporters are also exploring opportunities provided by the Indian and Asian cosmetics market. Anjorin is one of the beneficiaries of such opportunity. He has got export orders from Asia, demanding for herbs and spices with guarantees to buy in large quantities.
According to him, the demand for spices, described as any dried plant product used primarily for seasoning and for natural therapies, is high.
He said Nigerians could make money through wholesale bulk supply of native herbs, spices, essential oils and teas, food processors and cosmetic companies domestically and internationally.
While the EU is one of the world’s largest markets for spices and herbs, Anjorin said the region does not have suitable agro-climatic conditions to cultivate most spices and herbs, so they depend heavily on imports from moderate – or semi-tropical countries. Africa, he explained, has climates and soil conditions that are very suitable for the cultivation of spices.
Despite the climate advantage however, he said that exporters face many challenges, involving foreign regulations on labelling and food standards. This is why he often gets help from programmes that could offer insights into foreign laws and importing standards.
Generally, agro exports are subject to strict quality control standards, covering purity, pesticides, traceability, post-harvesting, packaging and any treatments such as fumigation and irradiation.
He said producers are required to have sanitary and phytosanitary certificates indicating that their goods do not contain living pests and have global good agricultural practice (GAP) certification, indicating compliance with global agriculture product certification standards. Foreign buyers also have their own quality compliance requirements, including HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) systems, Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) accreditation, and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
This is because EU buyers are still reluctant to source further processed products from developing countries due to concerns about quality, food safety and adulteration. There are additional challenges to enter the EU market with processed spices and herbs. Suppliers should be able to supply constant quality, taste, aroma, colour and able to compete against EU suppliers with an excellent knowledge about the taste preference in their domestic market.
Anjorin sees Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) as the key to achieving export growth.
He still believes more needs to be done to help educate businesses about how to break into overseas markets. This is because small businesses are intimidated by the exporting process – they’re afraid of getting paid, they’re afraid they won’t meet standards.
Farmers can actually spice up their income with Turmeric and other spice and herbs like Aloe vera, ginger, basil, goldenseal, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin seeds, turmeric, nutmeg, cloves, chili powder, vegeta, and garlic. These are all successful export products which remain untapped in Nigeria.
