UPSC Prelims 2025 Q24: Turmeric Production & Export — Explained

Consider the following statements about turmeric during the year 2022-23:

I. India is the largest producer and exporter of turmeric in the world.

II. More than 30 varieties of turmeric are grown in India.

III. Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are major turmeric producing States in India.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. I and II only
  2. II and III only
  3. I and III only
  4. I, II and III

Answer: (d) I, II and III

Statement-wise explanation

  • I: correct — In 2022-23 India grew turmeric on 3.24 lakh hectares and produced 11.61 lakh tonnes. That is over 75% of the world's turmeric. India also holds more than 62% of world trade in turmeric, so it leads in exports as well as production. That year India exported 1.534 lakh tonnes of turmeric and turmeric products, worth USD 207.45 million, through more than 380 exporters.
  • II: correct — The government's 2023 notice setting up the National Turmeric Board says more than 30 varieties of turmeric are grown in India. It also says turmeric is grown in over 20 states. Many varieties carry local names and GI tags, such as Erode, Sangli, Kandhamal and Lakadong.
  • III: correct — The same official 2022-23 data names Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as the largest turmeric-producing states. This is why the National Turmeric Board has its headquarters at Nizamabad in Telangana, a major turmeric market.

How to eliminate

This question mostly tests whether you know the facts. Logic helps only a little. Statement I is the one most candidates doubt, because it makes two claims at once: largest producer and largest exporter. Remember that India grows over three-quarters of the world's turmeric and has more than 62% of world trade in it, so both claims hold. Statement II says 'more than 30', which is a soft claim and fits a crop grown in over 20 states with many local types. Statement III lists the usual turmeric belt: Sangli (Maharashtra), Nizamabad (Telangana), Erode (Tamil Nadu) and Karnataka. If you are sure of statement III and of India's lead in production, the answer comes down to whether you also accept statements I and II. Every option has at least two statements. When the statements describe one official factsheet, all of them being true is often the answer. Fact to remember: in 2022-23 India had over 75% of world turmeric production and over 62% of world trade.

Know more

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizome spice of the ginger family. It is a horticulture crop that needs warm, humid weather and well-drained soil. Its colour and medical value come from curcumin.

India's position (2022-23, official figures)

Indicator Figure
Area 3.24 lakh ha
Production 11.61 lakh tonnes (over 75% of world output)
Share of world trade More than 62%
Exports 1.534 lakh tonnes, USD 207.45 million
Varieties grown More than 30
States growing it Over 20
Export target USD 1 billion by 2030

National Turmeric Board

  • Notified by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in October 2023. It was formally launched in New Delhi on 14 January 2025.
  • Headquarters: Nizamabad, Telangana. First Chairperson: Palle Ganga Reddy.
  • Tasks: develop new markets abroad, support research on new turmeric products, add value for export, and promote quality and food-safety standards. It works with the Spices Board, which still handles export promotion for spices in general.

GI-tagged turmerics often asked about

Variety State
Erode Manjal Tamil Nadu
Sangli turmeric Maharashtra
Kandhamal Haladi Odisha
Lakadong turmeric Meghalaya

Lakadong turmeric is known for its unusually high curcumin content. This is why it is now being sold as a premium spice.

In the news

The National Turmeric Board was launched on 14 January 2025, a few months before Prelims. The government's notes on it repeated the 2022-23 turmeric figures: India's share of world production and trade, the more than 30 varieties, and the major producing states.

NCERT Concepts to Revise

  • Horticulture: Turmeric is a spice crop, which falls under horticulture. Statements on its producing states and output figures come from horticulture statistics.
  • Geographical Indication: Many of India's turmeric varieties, such as Erode, Sangli and Lakadong, are known by their GI-tagged regional names.

Read more