Spices Board has initiated steps to award license for conducting auction for cardamom for the block years 2014-17. The Board has invited expressions of interest from prospective entrepreneurs/auctioneers in this regard.

A. Jayathilak IAS, Chairman, Spices Board said that this initiative would open up the marketing system of small cardamom and is expected to attract more players to the small cardamom trade. It would also result in better price realisation for the grower by increased sales transactions and buyer participation, he added.

License for e-auction will be issued only for the e-auction centres established by the Board for small cardamom at Puttady in Idukki and Bodinayakanur in Tamil Nadu. The manual auction centre for small cardamom can be established anywhere in India other than in the states wherein Board has already established e-auction centres.

The Board is committed to promoting free trade in small cardamom and is in the process of exploring all avenues for facilitating opening of alternate marketing channels for small cardamom.

For the Indian small cardamom industry to remain competitive in the global markets, he said that free trade of this commodity must be promoted and alternate channels for the domestic marketing of small cardamom should be devised, along with removal of the rules which restrict the domestic marketing and sale of small cardamom.

Through revised auctioneer license system, the Board is hoping to strengthen and broaden the marketing channels for cardamom through increased competition and participation, he added.

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