Industry Leaders Chart the Route Ahead at Day 1 of the 4th National Spice Conference in Guntur
Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, 14 November 2025 – The World Spice Organisation (WSO), the non-profit technical partner of the All‑India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF), formally opened the first day of the 4th National Spice Conference 2025 at the ITC Welcom, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. This two-day industry gathering is being held under the theme “Spice Route Ahead – Safe, Sustainable and Scalable.”
In his opening remarks, Mr Ramkumar Menon, Chairman of WSO, welcomed delegates and set the tone for the conference’s twin objectives of strengthening food safety and driving growth in the spice sector. He said, “The spice industry stands at a pivotal moment where global demand is rising, sustainability is no longer optional and scalability will determine who leads tomorrow.”
Dr. Paresh Shah, Chairman, FSSAI Scientific Panel on Pesticide Residues, observed that the integrity of the spice supply chain is foundational to growth stating, “From farm to fork, food safety must be our guiding principle and our strategies must leave no gap in trust or traceability.”
Dr. AB Remashree, Director, Spices Board, reflected on the role of technology and scale in transforming farmer livelihoods saying, “Technology is the lever; our challenge is to bring it into the fields, scale it across geographies, and ensure farmers share in the value created.”
Day 1 featured thought-provoking discussions on food safety across the spice supply chain, inclusive growth through communities of practice and farming innovations powered by AgriTech. The presence of farm-producer organisations (FPOs), agritech firms, regulators and global spice-industry players accentuated the collaborative spirit of the event.
The gathering brought together a wide cross-section of stakeholders from farmers, farmer-producer organisations (FPOs) and agritech firms to processors, exporters, regulators and technology providers all united by one goal: advancing India’s spice industry in a safe, sustainable and scalable way.
The conference continues tomorrow, 15 November 2025, with sessions centred on balancing growth with responsibility and a dedicated buyer-seller interface that will directly link producers and processors setting the stage for meaningful partnerships and actionable outcomes.
