World Spice Congress in Goa

The World Spice Congress, which has been organised jointly by the Spices Board of India and the All India Spices Exporter's Forum since 1990, will take place for the ninth time in Goa from January 28 to 30, 2008.

Contemporary issues like opportunities for investments in spices and seasoning industry, the role of regulators in balancing food safety concerns and trade aspects, global harmonisation in spice-related trade matters and improvement in farming practices will be the key topics that have been planned for discussion in the ninth congress.

Like the previous years, this time, too, business sessions in the congress will be structured to enhance the knowledge of businessmen about the contemporary global scenario in the cultivation and marketing of spices across the world.

That way, the congress will provide them with a forum for not only business transactions but also serve as a meeting ground for an intellectual exercise, a senior official of the Spices Board said.

Elaborating on its mission, he said the World Spice Congress had come to stay as an international institution. It has now become an institution for academic exercises of trade practices and a guide for the ill-equipped trader to step up efficiency.

It is again a guiding force for a new entrant in the trade and a stimulating force for updating of information for those already in the trade.

Building up newer relations, clearing misunderstandings, sharing of business problems and learning new business tactics, besides developing the skill to communicate, are other positive features of the congress, he added.

All major spice buying countries such as the US, the UK, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, France, Germany, Switzerland, Grand Cayman, Italy, South Africa, the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Russia, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and spice exporting countries like Madagascar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand will continue to be present in the ninth congress.

Global spice trading bodies like the International Organisation of Spice Trade Association, American Spice Trade Association, European Commission, Spices and Allied Products Exporters Association of Sri Lanka, European Spice Association, All Nippon Spice Association (Japan), Food Standards Australia, New Zealand are expected to attend the Goa congress.

The eighth World Spice Congress was attended by more than 100 overseas delegates and 230 domestic delegates, comprising buyers, sellers, traders, processors, competitors, consultants, agronomists and food scientists.

Times of India