According to exporters, lower production in most of the spices combined with higher domestic prices have led to decrease in exports.

Though there has been some relief in the month of October as the decrease has been arrested to some extent. The first six months in the current year had witnessed a 34 per cent decline.

In spite of decline in exports in terms of quantity, steep depreciation of the rupee during the current financial year, total exports of various spices have made higher earnings to an estimated Rs. 875.01 crore as against Rs 829.62 crore during last year According to Spices Board the export value in dollar terms have registered a decline of 11 per cent at US $ 198.86 million against last year's US $ 218.31 million.

In quantity terms except other spices and mintoil,export of all the other spices have declined substantially.

Pepper, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek and other spices and spice oleoresins & other oils have increased in terms of value. Pepper continued to be leader in spices export earnings with a share of 42 per cent followed by spice-oil and oleoresins at 17 per cent and chilli at 9 per cent. The performance of pepper is significant at 23 per cent increase in value over the last year even when there has been a reduction in terms of quantity by 24 per cent. 18000 tonnes of pepper valued at Rs 349.58 crore has been exported during the period under review as against previous year's 23,701 tonnes valued at Rs. 282.27 crore.