Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, inaugurated the National Turmeric Board’s headquarters in Nizamabad on Sunday. He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met a long-standing demand of turmeric farmers, especially in Telangana.
Shah spoke at a farmers’ gathering and introduced the NTB logo. He emphasized that Nizamabad, known for its turmeric production, will soon see its product reach international markets, thanks to the new board.
The National Turmeric Board aims to export turmeric globally within 3-4 years. Shah assured that farmers will benefit directly, bypassing middlemen. The Board plans to handle packaging, branding, marketing, and exporting.
Shah praised turmeric’s health benefits, calling it a “wonder drug” due to its anti-viral, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. He announced that the production and marketing of GI-tagged organic turmeric have begun. The goal is to reach one billion dollars in turmeric exports by 2030, with preparations already underway. The Board will help farmers get better prices, boost turmeric consumption globally, and promote its medicinal benefits.
The Board will ensure Indian turmeric meets international quality and safety standards. It will also offer training to farmers on harvesting techniques to avoid export issues.
Research on turmeric’s health benefits will be conducted to highlight its advantages worldwide. Shah noted that Nizamabad, Jagtial, Nirmal, and Kamareddy are major turmeric-producing districts. In 2025, turmeric farmers earned between Rs 18,000 to Rs 19,000 per quintal. Efforts aim to increase this by Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per quintal in the next three years.
In 2023-24, turmeric was grown on 3,00,000 hectares in India, producing 10.74 lakh tonnes.
Shah mentioned that Prime Minister Modi launched National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL) for farmers involved in exports and National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCIL) for organic farmers. Modi has consistently fulfilled his promises, including the establishment of the National Trade Bureau (NTB) in 2023.
