About Spice Board?

The Spices Board of India is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to regulate your spice products if you wish to sell them in the International market. The primary objective of the board is not just to regulate your products but also to promote exports and create an International demand for them.

The Board has also been able to significantly strengthen the Indian spices exports and implement good practices at the field level. It will act as a link between you and the foreign buyers of spice products.

List of 52 scheduled spices under the Spice Board of India for which obtaining a spice board certificate before export is mandatory.

What are the objective of Spice Board?

The objectives of the spice board are as follows:

• The primary objective of the spice board is to develop and promote the exports of your spice products in the international market including its marketing & creating a strong brand identity.
• The board will ensure your spices are always of top quality and safe for export and also take steps to standardise certification for quality and safety.
• It aims to provide support and assistance to improve your spice products after harvesting, which includes better processing, adding value to your spices, and packaging.
• It aims to take all steps to promote the sale and consumption of your spices through effective marketing, and increasing awareness among the general public, including through an e-commerce platform.
• It will ensure that the interests of all participants in the spice industry are protected including the growers, workers, processors, distributors, exporters, and any other such stakeholders involved in the process.
• It aims to ensure that you follow the best agricultural, manufacturing and hygiene practices that are followed worldwide and that you use the best technologies available for your business and minimize the use of hazardous chemicals.
• The board also aims to carry out, assist, and encourage scientific, technological, and economic research to support the spice industry, especially for notified spices. 
• The board promote the production of notified spices listed in Schedule II of the Spice Board Act.
• To provide support and assistance, including financial assistance to small growers of notified spices

Who can become the registered member of the Spice Board?

The spice board offers two types of registration based on your nature of business.

• If you are the manufacturer or processor of the spice products and wish to sell in the international market, you will need to register as a manufacturer exporter. 
• If you are a trader of spice products and want to export to the international market, you will need to register as a merchant exporter.

To become eligible to apply for spice board registration you are required to hold a valid Import Export Code (IEC) number, that is issued by the Office of the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and you must also be GST registered, only then you will be eligible to apply for Spice Board registration.

What are the documents required for registration?

To ensure a smooth registration process with the board, it is important to have all the necessary documents ready. Below is the list of documents required for registration as a member of the Spice Board.

• Import Export Code
• copy of PAN card
• copy of GST certificate
• copy of FSSAI certificate
• Certificate of Incorporation/Partnership Deed/MOA – AOA (as applicable)
• Passport-size photo of the CEO or designated officer of the company
• List of Directors or partners (as the case may be) and their contact information.
• Letter of authorization authorizing the applicant to apply for registration (if applicable)

Additional documents required to be submitted by the manufacturer category of exporter are:

• Certificate issued by the directorate of industries.
• copy of MSME certificate
• copy of Pollution Control Board certificate
• Lease deed or rent agreement in case the manufacturing premise is on lease or rent 

What is the registration process?

A Notice has been issued by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) stating that the application for registration certificate of the spice board must be filed electronically through their common digital platform. 

The procedure for registration is as follows:

1. Create your account with your IEC code, and your login credentials shall be used to log in to the DGFT portal.
2. After logging in, go to the RC registration section in the portal, and fill out an application form with information such as your company name, address, IEC number, PAN number, date of incorporation, and nature of the business.
3. Select Spice Board and Fee Details.
4. Fill in the details of authorised representatives or contact persons for the councils and click on the “Add Details” button to save the details.
5. Under other information, select the countries to which you will be exporting and click on save & next
6. You will be required to provide supporting documents, such as a PAN card, IEC certificate, incorporation certificate, and so on (see Documents required). Attach all the documents required in the attachment section.
7. Once the application form is completed, review your application form, make sure not to make any mistakes to avoid rejection, and give a declaration for the submission of the form to the council.
8. After that click payment for RC, the applicant will be directed to the payment gateway for the payment, make the payment and then click on submit.
9. The board shall review the application and may request additional documents or evidence if necessary
10. The decision on the application shall be made within 10 days from the date of submission.
11. On approval of the application, you will receive a registration certificate from the Spice Board.

What is the fee for registration?

This table outlines the enrollment fees for becoming a member of the Spice Board. 

Key Schemes & Initiatives provided by the Spice Board

As a registered spice exporter, you can apply for financial assistance for expenditures incurred for Infrastructure development of manufacturing or processing units and export promotion Under the Export Development and Promotion program initiated by the Spice Board of India.

1. For adopting Hi-tech technology or upgrading your existing technology, including setting up or upgrading the in-house laboratories, you can get financial support of up to 33% of the cost of machinery, equipment, and accessories subject to a maximum of INR 1 cr if you fall under the general category and 75% of the cost subject to a maximum of INR 1.5 cr if you are an SC/ST/FPO or exporters of difficult areas.
2. For installing primary processing equipment for spices, you can get financial support of up to 33% of the cost of machinery for primary processing activities like cleaning, sorting, slicing, cutting, crushing, grinding, and packing, subject to a maximum of INR 10 lakhs in case you fall under the general category and 75% of the cost of equipment and accessories subject to a maximum of INR 15 lakhs if you are SC/ST/FPO or exporters of difficult areas.
3. For rapid food testing devices and kits, you can get financial support of up to 33% of the cost of certification subject to a maximum of INR 5 lakhs in case you fall under the general category and 75% of the cost subject to a maximum of INR 15 lakhs if you are SC/ST/FPO or exporters of difficult areas
4. For promoting your products in the international market or for slotting/listing fees, you are eligible for an interest-free loan covering all expenses, including product development costs. This support is available for up to INR 1 crore per exporter during the specified period.
5. For research and development of spice products, you can get financial support of up to 50% of the cost of such research and development. If your activity consists of clinical trials and patenting, the financial support can extend to INR 1 cr.
6. For sending spices samples abroad, you are eligible for financial support covering up to 50% of the courier charges subject to a maximum of INR 1.5 lakhs if you fall under the general category and 75% of the cost subject to a maximum of INR 2.25 lakhs if you are an SC/ST/FPO or exporters of difficult areas.
7. For participation in international fairs, meetings, seminars, or training, you are eligible for financial support of up to 50% of the cost of airfare, subject to a maximum of INR 1.5 lakh, and 50% of the cost of stall rent, subject to a maximum of INR 5 lakhs if you fall under the general category and 75% of the cost of airfare, up to a maximum of INR 2.25 lakhs, and 75% of the cost of stall rent, up to a maximum of INR 7.5 lakhs if you are an SC/ST/FPO or exporters of difficult areas.
8. For packaging development, barcoding, QR code, EPC/RFID, and traceability, you are eligible for financial support of up to 50% of the cost incurred, subject to a maximum of INR 1.5 lakhs if you fall under the general category and 75% of the cost subject to a maximum of INR 2.25 lakhs if you are an SC/ST/FPO or exporters of difficult areas.
9. For reimbursement of fees for Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES), you are eligible for financial support of up to 75% of the registration charges of Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (excluding GST), subject to a maximum reimbursement of INR 11,250 only if you are an SC/ST/FPO or exporters of difficult areas.
10. Under the Market Access Initiative Scheme 2021, the registered individual exporters are eligible to get reimbursement of expenditure incurred on statutory compliances for up to INR 2 Cr per exporter per annum.
11. For promotion and marketing of your Indian spice brand abroad, you are eligible for a grant under the production-linked Incentive scheme of up to  50% of the cost incurred, subject to a maximum of INR 50 Cr or 3% of sales (whichever is lower)
12. You can also apply for the interest equalization scheme, which offers a 3% interest rate discount on pre- and post-shipment for five years.
13. You will be eligible to apply for a refund of various central and state duties, taxes, and levies imposed on inputs used in producing the exported products under the RoDTEP scheme of the Government of India.