Spices and Condiments’ are natural plant or vegetable products or mixtures used in whole or ground form, mainly for imparting flavour, aroma and pungency to food. In terms of meaning, both the terms ‘Spices and Condiments’ are same but with a minor difference. Spices are food ingredients used to season food during its preparation, whereas a condiment is eaten alongside food to add extra flavour. It is usually added to food immediately before consuming the food such as salt, pepper, mustard, chili sauce, chutney, ketchup, pickle etc. Spices and condiments have a unique and essential place in our food cultures. They are high value and low volume crops, yielding high income per unit area (pepper, cardamom, saffron, etc.) There is also good export demand for Indian spices because of high quality.
Spices are important everyday ingredients for our food and form an important wing of horticulture. The history of spice trade in India dates far back. India is the world’s largest spice consumer, producer, and exporter. Because of its texture, scent, flavour, and medicinal characteristics, Indian spices are highly sought after around the world. India produced 10.7 million tonne of spices in 2020-21. Spice consumption in an Indian family is tremendous, hence the market is rising at a rate of 40,000 crores per year. When there is so much potential in the spice business that guarantees significant returns with cheap investment, anyone can establish a business, even a home-based spice production business which can yield profits. Thus, entrepreneurship in spice production has been identified as a potential area of intervention.
Objective of the capacity building of women entrepreneurs in spice making
India produced 10.7 million tonnes of spices in the year 2020-21. There is high potential in the spice business which guarantees significant returns with cheap investment. Thus, spice production has been identified as a potential business for entrepreneurs in the country.
The main goal of the Girl Power Project is to create rural women entrepreneurs and enterprises in order to provide them with opportunities for growth, financial stability, and socio-economic inclusion and recognition. Training on spices was arranged after seeing the potential market for women entrepreneurs with an objective of creating women entrepreneurs and building skills and capacity to foster their entrepreneurial skill.
Capacity building of women entrepreneurs on Spices (Masala) & allied products making
Changing dietary preferences and growing awareness of the medicinal properties of spices like cloves, cinnamon, and turmeric have increased the demand of spices in the market. After determining the potential of business of spices for women beneficiaries, the Girl Power Project organised a three-day non-residential training on spice making at Mango Area, East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand with 50 women beneficiaries during 22-24 September 2022. In the training, the facilitator displayed to the women different types of spices available in the market such as ‘garam masala powder’, ‘aam chur powder’, ‘chat masala’, ‘meat masala’, ‘sabzi masala’, and ‘sambhar masala.’ It was demonstrated how these masala powders are made and the different ingredients required to make the masala. The spices need to be of high quality and without any adulteration, in order to make a mark in the competitive spice market, for which the women need to ensure the composition. With the help of raw material and a simple mixer grinder, the facilitator practically demonstrated the whole process of running a small business form home. The raw materials are easily acquired ingredients like red chilli, haldi, cumin seeds, dhania, pepper, bay leaf, and curry leaf. To pack dried powders, food-grade packing materials and cardboard boxes were required for proper and hygienic packaging. According to investment capability, anyone can establish a spice business on a small, medium, or large scale. Training with 50 women beneficiaries on ‘papad’, ‘badi’ and ‘achar’ making was also organized at Chauka block of Seraikela District during 25-27 September 2022.
Scope of Spices (Masala) & allied products making as a cottage enterprise
Since spices are such ubiquitous kitchen ingredients, the technical knowhow of the business will already be known to the women. Spice making presents many advantages to women. There is flexibility in the business which will be feasible for them. One can devote as much time as they want to it. Secondly, this business can be started off with a low investment cost and has a high probability of profits. Spice business does not require a large place. One can even start the enterprise from home. However, if one does not have space, they must search for a location where they can dry and grind the spices. Spice grinding machines are available in the markets at different prices and in different types and capacity. If the women entrepreneurs are doing this work on a small scale, then they can also grind and sell spices in a simple home mixer available with them. If they are doing this on a large scale then they will have to get many machines like cleaner, dryer, grinder, special powder blade and weighing and packaging equipment. If someone who is not a farmer but wants to start a spice-making business as a cottage enterprise, they can buy and sell spices at their local market. The profit margin in the business is 40-50 per cent.
Outcome
Through this training, the women participants were able to understand the potential that this business idea holds and its value addition. The project aims to create women entrepreneurs and promote social entrepreneurship. Developing entrepreneurship skills in rural women will help endow them with a source of financial stability, thereby empowering them. Thus, the women entrepreneurs will not only be able to earn their living but also enhance and uplift the socio-economic status of their families. Looking at the market demand, it has the potential of being one of the best profit-generating skills one can learn.