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Institutions: Ministry of Commerce & Industry
India hosted the successful 8th Session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH8) in Guwahati on Oct 17th 2025 . The major outcome was the finalization of three new global quality standards for large cardamom, vanilla, and coriander. These standards have been passed on to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the United Nations’ main body for food standards (run by the FAO and WHO), for official adoption.
India, through the Spices Board, is the Secretariat for the CCSCH, meaning it leads the process. By securing agreement on these benchmarks, the Committee has now standardized 19 key spices, promoting consistency and safety across global supply chains. For India, a major exporter of cardamom and coriander, these new rules are crucial: they provide clear, globally accepted reference points that simplify trade, reduce technical barriers, and directly boost the export competitiveness of Indian farmers and businesses. This work elevates India’s role from a major spice producer to a global rule-maker in the food standards domain.
India’s leadership in setting these mandatory global benchmarks for high-value agricultural commodities demonstrates its increasing influence in multilateral trade governance. This policy alignment ensures that domestic quality control and farming practices are directly linked to premium international market access, making it a win-win for public health standards and national trade revenues.
What does ‘Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)’ mean for global food trade? → The CAC is essentially the world’s reference manual for food safety and quality, co-managed by the UN’s food (FAO) and health (WHO) agencies. Its standards serve as the science-based legal foundation for international food trade rules. When countries follow Codex rules, it makes exports smoother and reduces the chances of products being rejected at borders, thereby protecting both consumers and fair business practices.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: To maximize the trade advantage from these new Codex standards, how quickly can the government provide targeted, accessible technical assistance to small and medium spice processors to ensure their products are certified as ‘Codex-compliant’?
Follow the full news here: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2180448