In turmeric production, obtaining quality (with higher curcumin content) and disease-free seeds/planting material is a crucial factor. When turmeric is cultivated using mother rhizomes, a large quantity of seed is required, which also increases the cost of transporting the seed. If the seed is not self-produced, the expense on seeds further increases. Sometimes, saplings from tissue culture laboratories are not available on time, and the farmer has to arrange the seeds on their own.
It is necessary to develop different varieties of turmeric based on its utility/application. Varieties of turmeric with higher curcumin and oleoresin content, varieties suitable for processing, and varieties appropriate for use in cosmetics and medicine need to be developed.
Integrated management of turmeric is not being implemented for achieving optimum production. For proper management of turmeric, it is necessary to improve soil quality, use micronutrients, cultivate on raised beds or broad ridges and furrows, provide water through micro-irrigation methods, and control pests and diseases in a timely manner. By adopting improved and ideal cultivation practices instead of traditional turmeric farming, it is possible to achieve higher yields. For this, it is necessary to obtain the ideal cultivation practices for turmeric from all agricultural universities and the Indian Institute of Spices Research.
Turmeric requires well-drained soil for cultivation. However, due to changing weather conditions — hailstorms, drought, excessive rainfall, pest and disease outbreaks, and other natural disasters — heavy losses can occur. Therefore, it is necessary to implement effective measures to protect turmeric crops from all these factors.
In most turmeric-growing regions, infestation of rhizome fly is observed. It has been found that this pest can cause losses of more than 25 to 30 percent. Additionally, there is also some incidence of white grub infestation. Rhizome rot disease is commonly seen in poorly drained soils. Therefore, timely integrated management of rhizome fly, leaf blight, and rhizome rot pests and diseases is essential. After harvesting, the seeds (rhizomes) to be used for the next year should be treated with fungicides and stored using the heap or pit method. Furthermore, before sowing the seeds, fungicidal seed treatment is necessary for the management of rhizome rot disease.
Due to limited water availability and inefficient use of available water, production is adversely affected. Therefore, it is very important to manage water according to the needs of the turmeric crop and its growth stages. For proper development of the rhizome, maintaining adequate soil moisture is essential; otherwise, the incidence of rhizome rot disease may increase. Considering these factors, instead of using sprinkler or flood irrigation, water should be provided through drip or subsurface irrigation methods.
The most complicated aspects in turmeric cultivation are harvesting and processing. Farmers do not adequately adopt mechanization for turmeric planting, earthing up, harvesting, and post-harvest processing. Considering the current situation of pest infestations, market demands, labor shortages, and increasing labor costs, the use of mechanization has become essential.
After harvesting turmeric, it usually takes around three to four weeks for the raw turmeric to be processed. Since most of this processing is done through traditional methods, it leads to the loss of curcumin and other natural components, resulting in deterioration of the quality and grade of turmeric. To prevent the loss of these natural components during processing, it is necessary to use improved/modern technologies to reduce the time from harvesting to processing, minimize labor and costs, and prevent the reduction of curcumin content. Additionally, there is a lack of sufficient traditional drying platforms, rural warehouses, storage facilities, and cold storage units.
One of the major challenges in turmeric export is the presence of heavy metals, chemical pesticides, and fungicide residues in turmeric. It is necessary to create awareness among farmers to reduce these residues. Turmeric marketing is still in its infancy. The involvement of middlemen is quite high, resulting in significant exploitation of turmeric producers. Since turmeric is not included in essential commodities, the government does not fix a minimum support price (MSP) for it. Thus, turmeric prices are determined based on demand and supply.
Currently, the marketing of turmeric is dominated by middlemen. Turmeric producers or farmer producer companies (FPCs) have not yet entered the marketing sector directly. As a result, the share of farmers in the price paid by end consumers is very low. There is a vast market for turmeric within the state, across the country, and internationally. India continues to hold its position as the largest supplier of turmeric to international markets.
Due to turmeric’s wide range of applications in medicine, cosmetics, religious and social functions, and the food industry, there is great scope for turmeric in various sectors. Turmeric is also traded electronically on the National Commodity Exchange, which can be utilized by farmer producer companies. However, as turmeric producers and companies have not yet entered this market, it is necessary to build capacity for marketing among turmeric producers.
The Maharashtra Advance Ruling Authority has clarified that boiled, dried, and polished turmeric cannot be considered as agricultural produce and has therefore imposed 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on it. This decision has significantly affected the inflow and trade of turmeric. The imposition of GST on turmeric will have an adverse impact on the financial condition of turmeric-producing farmers. At present, there are limited market facilities available for the sale of fresh (raw) turmeric. Therefore, it is necessary to establish market facilities for the sale of fresh turmeric, which can help mitigate the challenges posed by GST.
Large-scale financial support is required for turmeric seed, cultivation, and processing. Therefore, farmers must receive timely and regular financial assistance from financial institutions. Easy access to credit under the Kisan Credit Card scheme and hassle-free loan disbursement is necessary. Availability of interest-free capital and credit guarantees is also important. In addition, various schemes available for spice crops under the central and state governments should be integrated to provide encouragement and support to the producers.
The central government, state agricultural universities, national crop research institutes, turmeric entrepreneurs, and private turmeric research institutions are all independently working in the field of turmeric. These institutions need to collaborate and work together for the development of turmeric. Through these institutions, awareness should be created among turmeric farmers regarding the latest technologies, mechanization, etc. For this purpose, it is necessary to organize training programs, farmer field schools, crop demonstrations, acquire modern technology, develop market chains, and conduct study tours at the state, national, and international levels to build the capacity of the farmers.
