Home NEWS Telangana’s Nizamabad finally gets National Turmeric Board

Telangana’s Nizamabad finally gets National Turmeric Board


The Union government on Tuesday, January 14, launched the National Turmeric Board, with its headquarters in Nizamabad, Telangana. The turmeric board has been a long-standing demand of farmers from the Nizamabad region, where it is the primary crop. 

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, inaugurated the board from Delhi, and announced BJP leader Palle Ganga Reddy as its Chairperson. 

BJP MP from Nizamabad, Dharmapuri Arvind, had won the 2019 elections defeating former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha with the promise of setting up a turmeric board for farmers. The election also witnessed 180 farmers contesting against Kavitha, to register protest against the then KCR government. 

Ahead of the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state in that year, and promised to establish the National Turmeric Board in Telangana. Dharmapuri Arvind was re-elected as Nizamabad MP in 2024. 

“The Board will pay special attention to the welfare of the turmeric farmers spread across 20 states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya and others,” said Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

India has more than 62% share of world turmeric trade. During 2023-24, 1.62 lakh tonnes of turmeric and turmeric products valued at $226.5 million were exported. The country was responsible for over 70% of global turmeric production, said Minister Piyush Goyal, adding that 30 varieties of turmeric are produced in the country.

“There is immense potential in increasing turmeric production in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and the formation of the Turmeric Board will boost the income of turmeric producers in the country,” Piyush Goyal added.

Representatives from various ministries will also be part of the National Turmeric Board, along with representatives from exporters’ and producers’ bodies.

The Board will also look into creating awareness of medical properties of turmeric, ways to increase its yield and boost logistics and supply chain to foster trade into newer markets.

Piyush Goyal highlighted that the Board will also ensure quality and safety standards of turmeric production and exports.

In FY 2023-24, an area of 3.05 lakh hectares was under turmeric cultivation in India with a production of 10.74 lakh tonnes.

Representatives of the Ministry of AYUSH, the Department of Pharmaceuticals, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Department of Commerce have also been nominated for the Board, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.



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