WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE STUDIES DIRECTORATE

DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE
PROGRAM MSC REGULAR
COURSE TITLE SENIOR SEMINAR TERM PAPPER
TITLE ASSESSIMENT OF SPICE AND HERBS QUALITY AND IT’S
RELATED PROBLEMS
BY
DESE TAFESE ID 62873/14
SUBMITED TO BRIHANU LENCHA

WSU
JULY 2022.G.E
 1. INTRODUCTION

 Herbs and spices are plant-derived seasonings used for

culinary purposes. The terms ‘herbs’ and ‘spices’ are often
used interchangeably, but they have specific definitions in
botany.

Herbs store flavor component in their leaves, whereas Spices

store theirs in seeds, bark, and root. A spice may be the bud
(clove), bark (cinnamon), rhizome (ginger), aromatic seed
(cumin), and flower stigma (saffron) of a plant Mackin, J.
1993.
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 Herbs and spices used to making food taste good,

culinary spices have been used as food preservatives
and for their health-enhancing properties for centuries
(Kaefer and Milner, 2011).

 Moreover, for people of the world, spices stimulate

appetite and create visual appeals to food (Opara and
Chohan, 2014). R. K. Bhardwaj, N. K. Singh, Saurabh
Singh and Ashutosh Singh. (2009).
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 Spices and aromatic herbs are also used for economical,

medicinal, social and religious purposes as reported by Thomas
et al. (2012).The consumption of the spices and aromatic herbs
depends in general on the socio-cultural groups, the food habits
and their availability in the zones of dwelling (Sossa, 2013).
 However, the Spices and aromatic herbs have under low
quality standard due to pre harvest and post harvest problem.
During maturation, harvesting, processing, storage or
transportation (Qaher, 2005).
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Traditional drying of spices and aromatic herbs on the
floor associated with unhygienic conditions exposed them
to microbial and chemical contamination by heavy metal
(Prakash et al., 2011).
Moreover, the spices can also be contaminated by other
toxic substances, such as the aflatoxins that can be
produced through the presence of Aspergillus flavus
(Roige et al., 2009).
 Quality reduction in exportable surplus on account of
increasing domestic demand, dependence on nature, pest
and disease problems, low technology infrastructure and
arbitrary imposition of standards and stringent food laws
by importing countries are the major challenge with the
spice industry in world.
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 To overcome this constraint, quality improvement, value

addition and compliance with stipulations under WTO
agreements are required for better market access. (Roige
et al., 2009).

 1.2.Objective

 To assess the quality and related problems of spice and herbs

 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 An overview on challenges in quality of spices and herbs

production
 The major Quality problem of spices and herbs sectors are
Planning and implementation ability of smallholder farmers Tesfa
et al. (2017) .
 Conventional way of farming characterized by the absence of
improved seeds/varieties, absence of planting materials, lack of
properly recommended seed rate and fertilizer types and rates are
among the challenges smallholder farmers are facing.
Moreover, high frequency of weeding, lack of effective weed
management practices, different plant diseases and insect pests as
well as wild animal competition also contributed to the low
productivity of spice crops.
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 The problems are further exacerbated by high input
requirement, poor harvest and post-harvest management,
and a lack of modern drying facilities that led to long
time of drying.
 Most importantly, the addition of lack of access to credit
and extension, poor quality of outputs, lack of irrigation
facilities affects the production, productivity, and quality
of spices in Ethiopia Tariku et al., 2016).

 Lack or shortage of planting material has been also

reported as one of the critical problems of ginger
production in Ethiopia (MoARD (Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development), 2008).
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 Irregular supply and variable nature of spices produced

from forest and agricultural landscape, lack of the use of

appropriate modern technologies in farm management,
drying, storage and absence of proper spices development
strategic interventions were some of factors affecting
production of spice crops in Ethiopia According to
Melanie and Michael (2011),
 2.1.1 Low Productivity

 In the Spice and herb sector is one of the serious problems facing the
Africa Spice industry is low competitiveness amount in the
international markets (Vijayalaxmi and Sreepada, 2014). inadequate
production technologies developed so far have yet not expanded and
not advocated to farmers.
As indicated by Yimer (2010), weak role of private business investors
in spice production, irregular supply and variable nature of spices
produced from forest and agricultural landscape, lack of the use of
appropriate modern technologies in farm management, drying,
storage and absence of proper spices development strategic
interventions were some of factors affecting productivity of spice and
herbs crops.
 2.1.2 Poor quality Product

 The processing practices mentioned earlier can affect the

quality criteria. In fact, during the drying step, about 13.4%
of the processors spread their products on the floor, while
29.3% spread them on the sidewalks contrary to hygiene
related to dried spices and aromatic plants (Codex, 2015)
that recommends a drying on platforms built with suitable
materials.
 Drying on the sidewalks or the floor does not guarantee the
protection of the spices against contamination by house
animals, rodents, birds, bugs, arthropods, and
microorganisms as well. Similar results have been reported
by Romagnoli et al. (2007) who noted the presence of
Aspergillus species,
 2.1.3 Research and genetic problem

 The rapid disappearance of some indigenous varieties of spices due to

mixing of planting material results in loss of genetic purity. Yousif (
2008) pointed out that several problems, including lack of improved
seed, recommended fertilizer rate, poor postharvest handling and
marketing systems, constrain black cumin production and productivity.

 2.1.4 Insufficient Mechanization

Lack of desired level of value-addition at the primary processing level

results in lesser returns to the farmers and farm laborers According to
Habtewold et. al., (2017).
 2.1.5 Market problem

 Spice and herbs crops have huge potential for income generation of
the farming communities in Ethiopia (Tesfa et al., 2017).

 Ethiopia is facing stiff competition from other world producing

countries that supply spices in whole form. Most of these countries

have no domestic market for the spices they are producing, forcing

them to sell their produce even at cost price examples cardamom from

Guatemala, pepper from Vietnam, cloves from Indonesia (ACP,

2010).

 The traditional marketing of Spices and aromatic herbs is much of the

domestic nature. The export of spices like chilies, ginger and turmeric
 2.1.6 Rejection of Export Materials

 Farmers of spices like cardamom, chilly and ginger are

heavily dependent on chemicals for pest and disease control
and fertilizers. Indiscriminate use of chemicals results in
pesticide residues beyond tolerable limits, leading to
rejection of many consignments of spices.

 Trade restrictions on contaminated food or feeds have the

greatest effect on countries different country, which
currently have limited, or no available means of monitoring
aflatoxin levels The toxins are particularly carcinogenic in
humans and eating contaminated food often results in liver
cancer, amongst other diseases Bown, D. 2001
 2.1.7 lack of extension and awareness

 Among farmers of the latest technologies in production and

postharvest operations. Is not Market-oriented .

Extension is not focused on the needs of the market, especially the

export market.

The available market information service is limited to a few areas

and to a few sections and often fails to recognize indigenous
methods and factors to get a competitive edge in export of spices
(Thijs, 2010).
 2.1.8 Inadequate Price for Producers
 The price situation is directly linked to the supply position of each
year. There are crops like chilly, where huge stocks are maintained
in cold storages.
 The price which ruled the previous year often influences farmers to
go in for large scale cultivation; irrespective of stocks available and
neglecting the possibility of alternate crops Bhardwaj, M. Patel, R.
Arya and S. K. Singh. (2008). this results in severe price crash.
 The alternative is to improve production of the items that are
imported and make them available at international prices.
 2.1.9 Pest, Disease and and Nature Problems

 These are factors reducing the acquired comparative advantage. This is one
of the major reasons for the erratic production of individual spices, earning
the country the label of ‘inconsistent supplier of spices’ Melanie and
Michael (2011),

 2.1.10 Poor availability of Inputs

 This is restrictive factor especially planting material. Also there exist a
non-availability of suitable fertilizers and plant protection chemicals,
suitable irrigation, facilities for on-farm processing and storage, and
adequate credit (FAO, 2011).
 Farmers are using unimproved spice seeds, which have low production and
also that encourage the spread of plant diseases.
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 Unimproved spice and herbs seeds sold by corrupt

broker’s traders is a major problem in various regions of
Africa. Small-scale farmers regularly purchase seeds from
informal uncertified sources.

 The commercial formal seed system may advertise a range

of hybrid varieties not necessarily best suited to local

conditions but are at the expense of traditional varieties.

 2.1.11 Drying and Storage problem

 The storage of fresh SAH (chili, ginger, anion, and

garlic) by the cool is practiced by 5% of the processors.
The maximum storage duration of the SAH kept in cool
conditions is 10 days according to 80% of the processors
who practiced this technique Norman, J. 1990.
 Thus, the moisture level for most spices and aromatic
herbs should be reduced to below 11% in order to
prevent the proliferation of microorganisms. According
to (Yogendrarajah, 2014; Tulu et al., 2014).
 3. SUMMERY AND CONCLUSION

 Spices and herbs of Ehiopia are being not attracted by the

consumer's, both in the domestic as well as in the international
market. Several kinds of spices are grown in Ethiopia since time
immemorial, it is because of Ehiopia is known as "The Home of
many Spices". Ehiopia is lowest producer except coffee other
spices in the world (Habtewold et.al. 2017).
The demand for spices and its products are ever increasing
both in the internal and external markets.., despite the
tremendous importance of spices, it is rather unfortunate that
the sector has not achieved the required level development
because of the problems in the marketing, supply chain,
exports, pre and post-harvesting activities Al-Jasser MS (2012
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Producing spices for high quality markets such as in Europe,

UAE and the US creates opportunities (price margins are
usually higher) as well as constraints (higher requirements
on quality J Sessitsch A (2013). Producers and exporters
need assistance to overcome these constraints.
The pressures of globalization and liberalization are creating
exclusive supply chains between preferred business partners.
Smallholder agriculture is poorly prepared for these changes.

A targeted effort is needed to include poorer households in

value chains: organizational development, technical
upgrading, management skills and access to financing are all
required. According to Tiru et.al. (2017)
THANK YOU FOR

YOUR
ATTENTION!!