It is my privilege to welcome you to the web portal of the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD), a national-level agency under the Government of India, entrusted with the development of spices, arecanut, betel leaves, and aromatic plants across the country.The Directorate plays a pivotal role in coordinating with State Departments of Agriculture/Horticulture, ICAR Institutes, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), traders, exporters, and other stakeholders to address key issues and advance the mandate crops.
The Directorate has been actively monitoring and supporting various development programmes implemented by State Governments. In addition, the Directorate directly undertakes developmental initiatives in collaboration with around 50 SAUs and ICAR Institutes across the country. These programmes primarily focus on (a) Production and distribution of quality planting materials, (b) Transfer of technology and capacity building initiatives, and (c) innovative programmes to address national issues in spices / arecanut sector.
These interventions have significantly contributed to the growth of the spice sector in India. Over the last fifteen years, spice production has witnessed an impressive annual growth rate of 6.8%, with a 2.5% increase in productivity. Production surged from 35 lakh tonnes in 2005–06 to 124 lakh tonnes in 2023–24. This remarkable growth has enabled a consistent exportable surplus of high-quality spices, making India a major global player. Today, spices stand as the fourth-largest contributor to agricultural exports from the country.
With rising global and domestic demand, the spice sector presents new opportunities for growth, innovation, and value addition. At the Directorate, we remain committed to addressing emerging challenges and working tirelessly towards the holistic development of spices and other mandated crops.