SPICE PRAVAH Expands High-Value Spice Farming in Islands

The Andaman & Nicobar Administration’s SPICE PRAVAH dashboard recorded 86. 37 hectares under spice cultivation, 139,052 planted spice saplings and 635 participating farmers as of 2 October 2026. The programme includes farmer fields and departmental farms. Five high-value spice crops are covered. Black pepper occupies the largest area at 40. 44 hectares with 75,786 plants and 451 farmers. Cinnamon follows with 27.

42 hectares, 59,210 plants and 221 farmers. Clove covers 13. 41 hectares, nutmeg 4. 95 hectares and bay leaf 0. 15 hectare. Black pepper and cinnamon together represent about 78. 5% of the recorded area.

The programme is spread across all three districts: North & Middle Andaman has 41. 64 hectares, South Andaman 33. 61 hectares and Nicobar 11. 12 hectares. SPICE PRAVAH focuses primarily on cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper, with clove and bay leaf as secondary crops. Its dashboard period runs from 2025–26 to 2035–36. The programme was launched in July 2025 and SPICE PRAVAH 2.

0 followed in June 2026 with cultivation guides for the major spices. Island conditions are favourable because of warm, humid climate and about 3,000 mm annual rainfall, but drainage, disease control, soil conservation and plant survival are critical. Since many tree spices require several years to mature, present figures mainly show plantation establishment, not current annual output. The next stage will require nursery quality, survival monitoring, crop-specific advisory services, post-harvest drying, grading and market channels. Since spices mature at different speeds, farmers will need interim income planning and technical support before full commercial harvests begin.

Original source references: Andaman & Nicobar Agriculture Department SPICE PRAVAH dashboard, 2 October 2026; Daily Telegrams; ICAR, 17 June 2026.

Rural Development Today | 2 October 2026 | Development Connects | Kallol Saha