Indian Chilies are the most famous in the world and have huge demand in the overseas market. India continues to be the main producer and exporter of most varieties of Chilli to countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Middle East, South Korea, U.K., USA & Latin America. Chilli has two peculiar characteristics in it, first is its color which is due to the presence of a pigment called Capsanthin in it and the second is its biting pungency which is due to presence Capsaicin in it. Chilies form an important part of curries and various popular dishes.

Some of the major types of Chilies available in India are S- 334( also widely known as S-4) , Wander Hot, Bird Eye( Tejapuri) , Semi Bird Eye (Nalchetti) , Wrinkled, Tomato, Byadgi , Kashmiri ,S-9 Mundu etc. Some of the major chilly producing centers in India are Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan & Assam.

In terms of quantity amongst all the qualities grown in India the production of S-4 Chilly is the highest. Due to its bulk production and availability through out the year this quality is very popular and is in big demand through out the world. S-4 Quality is widely grown in Guntur, Warangal, and Khammam districts of Andhra Pradesh. Chilli has its peak harvesting season from December to May and its skin is thick, red & hot.

Indian Turmeric, which is also popularly known as "Indian Saffron", because of its bright yellow color, is considered the best in the world. Turmeric is mildly aromatic and has scents of orange or ginger with a pungent and bitter flavor. Turmeric, with its brilliant yellow color, has been used as a dye, medicine, and flavoring since 600 BC. India singularly produces nearly the world's major crop of turmeric and uses about 80% of it. Turmeric is one of the key ingredients in many curries, giving them color and flavor.



There are many different varieties of Turmeric available in India depending upon the part of India where they are grown. Out of these qualities the 5 major qualities which are popular and in good demand through out the world are Nizambad, Madras (Cuddapa), Rajapuri, Erode & Allepy. The major Turmeric Producing states in India are Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.


In terms of quantity amongst the various qualities grown in India, the production of Nizam Quality is the highest. This quality is widely grown in Nizambad, Karimnagar & Koratal centers of Telangana areas in AndhraPradesh state. The peak harvesting is from January To May.

“Coriander” is one of the important spices in our day-to-day life. Coriander Seeds are globular and almost round in shape with greenish brown in color and a strong aroma. They form an essential part of the Curry powder & various spices blends in India. Coriander has many medicinal values & it promotes natural healing. Coriander Leaves are also popular for garnishing of variety of Indian dishes.

Some of the major producing states of Coriander in India are Gujarat, Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh.

Cumin, which was also called as “Sugandhan” i.e. good smell in ancient times has its popularity spread from Latin America to Africa and all over Asia. The Cumin seeds are uniformly elliptical and deeply furrowed. Thy have a very distinctive bitter yet warm flavor yet aromatic smell. It is one of the widely used spices in our day-to-day life. Cumin along with Coriander forms a major ingredient of curry powder and other spice blends. They have applications worldwide in sectors other than food like beverages, liquors, medicines, toiletries and perfumery. Indian Cumin has a good demand in international market and it is exported in both seed form as well as powder form.


Some of the major producing states of Cumin Seeds in India are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. The harvesting season is from January to April.

Fennel, which grows well in mild climates, is an oval, green or yellowish brown dried aromatic ripe fruit of an herbaceous plant called Foeniculum Vulgare, a member of Parsley family. As a thumb rule, a bright green color seeds indicates a good quality. Obtained from an aromatic and medicinal plant, the seeds emit a pleasant odor, are highly aromatic and have a pungent flavor. Fennel is widely used in Asian, European, Italian and Mediterranean dishes. In India fennel is widely used in meat and seafood dishes and also with pickles and vinegar for a special flavor. Fennel Seeds in raw or roasted form are widely used in India as a mouth freshener especially after suppers.

The major producing states of fennel deeds in India are Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh . The harvesting season for fennel is from December to March.

Fenugreek is small stony seed from the pod of a bean-like plant. These seeds are hard, yellowish brown and angular. Some are oblong, some rhombic, other virtually cubic. They are available whole and dried, or as a dull yellow powder ground from the roasted seeds, as dry roasting enhances the flavor and reduces the bitterness. Fenugreek is an ancient spice and mostly used in Middle East, Northern- Eastern Africa and India, especially for pickles. In India, its fresh leaves are eaten as a tasty vegetable, which is prepared like spinach. Fenugreek is exported in whole & powder form.

The major producing sates of fenugreek seeds in India are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh & TamilNadu

Black Pepper is a native to India and has forever been deemed as KING OF SPICES in India. It is one of the oldest, popular and widely used amongst all the spices in the world. Black Pepper is the dried mature fruits of the tropical perennial climbing plant Piper nigrum L, which is a woody climber grown in the South Western Regions of India comprising of parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Goa. Black pepper with its characteristic pungency and flavor is one such spice that can be virtually utilized in every cooking and culinary medium of preparation including seasoning and garnishing.

Whole raw roots are generally referred to as fresh ginger. A piece of the rhizome is called a ‘hand’. It has a pale yellow interior and a skin varying in color from brown to off-white. Whole fresh roots provide the freshest taste. The roots are collected and shipped when they are still immature and the outer skin is a light green color. Dried roots are sold either ‘black’ with the root skin left on, or ‘white’ with the skin peeled off. The dried root is available in whole or sliced form.

Dried Gingers is widely used in making pickle where in the roots are sliced paper-thin and pickled in a vinegar solution.