Turmeric Farmers’ Interests Take Centre Stage at Hyderabad Meet Backed by Telangana Government

Agriculture Minister Shri Tummala Nageswara Rao spoke at a summit organised by CII Telangana with the National Turmeric Board

 Issues related to farmer income, market access, quality standards, and long-term sustainability in turmeric cultivation were discussed at the Turmeric Value Chain Summit 2025, held in Hyderabad. The maiden edition of the summit was organised by CII Telangana in collaboration with the National Turmeric Board.
Addressing the inaugural session, Agriculture and Cooperation Minister Shri Tummala Nageswara Rao said the Telangana government would extend full support to the National Turmeric Board and stressed that all interventions in the sector must be designed with farmers’ interests at the centre. He said regular income, access to appropriate technology, and protection of traditional practices were essential to ensure that farmers continue cultivating turmeric rather than shifting to other crops.

The Minister noted that factors such as soil conditions, profitability, and farmers’ ability to manage risk play a significant role in crop selection. He also pointed out that turmeric could be cultivated as an intercrop in palm oil plantations and said there was a need to strengthen horticulture and vegetable farming alongside forest revival efforts. Describing turmeric as a crop closely linked to Indian culture and tradition, he said the decision to establish a separate National Turmeric Board in Telangana was a positive step expected to further strengthen turmeric production.
Chairman of the National Turmeric Board, Mr Palle Ganga Reddy, said turmeric was the only spice among the country’s 53 spices to have a dedicated board. He stated that turmeric is cultivated across nearly eight lakh acres in India, with Telangana accounting for around 48,000 acres officially, though actual cultivation could be closer to 60,000 acres. He added that turmeric cultivation continues to expand in several states and said scientific studies were needed to document and promote the multiple uses of turmeric.

Mr Reddy emphasised the role of market committees in improving farmer awareness about quality enhancement, particularly in major trading centres such as Nizamabad, Metpally, and Mahaboobabad. He said improving facilities at these markets would directly benefit turmeric farmers.
Mr K Surendra Mohan, IAS, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Government of Telangana, said the State’s Vision 2047 places farmer welfare as a priority, with twelve focus areas identified to achieve this objective. While economic growth remains important, he said increasing farmer incomes must receive equal attention. He noted that Telangana contributes around ten percent of global turmeric production and said farmer producer organisations and value addition would play a key role in strengthening exports.

Ms N Bhavani Sri, IAS, Secretary, National Turmeric Board, said India currently meets over seventy percent of global turmeric demand but faces increasing competition from countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar, and several African nations. She highlighted the need to improve turmeric quality to global standards, particularly by increasing curcumin content and reducing moisture levels below ten percent. Continued engagement between farmers and food processing companies, she said, would help address quality challenges.
Highlighting the importance of Telangana’s turmeric markets, Mr R Sivaprasad Reddy, Chairman, CII Telangana and Managing Director of Rachamallu Forgings Ltd, said Nizamabad remains a key trading centre and that the establishment of the National Turmeric Board in the State is expected to provide a significant boost to turmeric production.

Dr V Praveen Rao, Adviser to the CII Telangana Agri and Food Processing Panel and Vice Chancellor of Kaveri University, described turmeric as the “Golden Spice of India” due to its preventive, therapeutic, and curative properties. He said the sector must transition from bulk commodity trading to higher-value, quality-driven and compliance-led supply chains.
Mr M Jayasankar M, Head of Strategic Sourcing, Agronomy and Sustainability at Synthite Industries Pvt. Ltd., said stable and high curcumin production remains a key challenge. He pointed to pesticide residue as a concern, particularly for pharmaceutical and export markets, and said public–private partnerships and backward integration would be important to build credible turmeric supply chains.
The Turmeric Value Chain Summit 2025 saw participation from over 200 policymakers, industry representatives, farmers, and stakeholders from across the turmeric value chain, including representatives from the Spices Board.

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