NDDB to market Flavourit brand of spices

MYLADUMPARA: Discussions are at advanced stage with NDDB for marketing the Flavourit brand of spices of Spices Board in the domestic market.

Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh told reporters that Flavourit brand of spices launched primarily for the overseas markets could be distributed through Mother Dairy network in the country. ``The deal will be finalized once the price negotiations are over,'' he said.

The Minister said e-auctioning of cardamom and tea would be in place in the space of some months. In the next two months e-auctioning of the cardamom will be implemented. As for tea, beginning October 2007, the e-auctioning will be operational on a voluntary basis. Though e-auctioning in tea was implemented earlier, it did not work out well. A new software is being designed now.

The Commerce Ministry is also encouraging organic farming. The Kerala farmers should bring in an element of organic farming in all the crops he said. The Ministry is evolving a strategy to make India a price setter in the global market in spices and other crops in five to seven years, he said.