• Turmeric - Curcuma domestica in botanical parlance is an important commercial crop grown in India.
• It is a rhizomatous spice crop cultivated in India since ancient times.
• It is native to India (Cochin) and is now a commercial crop of the tropics.
• It is grown in tropical countries like India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Chile, Peru, Haiti, El. Salvador, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Taiwan, Jamaica, West Indies, etc., India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric in the world and it accounts for 80 per cent of the world output.

• The origin of turmeric is believed to be South Asia and a few species are naturalized in North Eastern regions of India and Java.
• Dioscorides (AD 77 or 78) mentions a kind of Cyperus, which resembles ginger, but when chewed has a yellow colour and bitter taste, doubtless of turmeric.
• Marco Polo mentions it as occurring at Koncha (neighbourhood of Fukien, in China) in 1280, describing it thus: "There is also a vegetable which has all the properties of true saffron, as well as the smell and the colour, and yet it is not really saffron. It is held in great esteem, and being an ingredient in all dishes, it has on that account, a high price". This could only refer to turmeric, though it is used more as a dye-stuff in China than a spice.
• In medieval times, it was commonly known as Indian saffron and much was produced in Cannannore and Calicut, and a small quantity in Goa.
• Large quantity was imported by the Arabs, Persians and Turks from India. It reached East Africa in the eighth century and West Africa in the 13th century and in Jamaica in 1793.
• In tropics, turmeric cultivation is confined to South Asian countries.
• Japan, Iran, USA, UK, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia and the Netherlands are important importing countries of turmeric.

• In India, turmeric is grown in an area of 1,81,000 hectares with an annual rhizome production of 7,93,000 tonnes (2009-10).
  

Year	Area (000' ha)	Production (000'tonnes)	Productivity (kg/ha)
1997-98	139.7	549.2	3931
1998-99	160.7	597.9	3721
1999-00	141.2	668.5	4734
2000-01	191.7	714.3	3726
2001-02	167.1	562.8	3368
2002-03	150.1	522.2	3479
2003-04	150.1	564.9	3763
2004-05	158.7	718.1	4525
2005-06	172.0	851.7	4952
2006-07	178.5	786.8	4408
2007-08	175.3	794.4	4532
2008-09	181.1	821.2	4535
2009-10	181.0	793.0	4382

Source : Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (Horticulture Division)

• mportant states which grow turmeric are Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam , Maharashtra and Karnataka . Gujarat, Kerala, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and North Eastern states are also growing turmeric.
• Andhra Pradesh (Composite) ranks first in respect of production and productivity followed by Tamil Nadu

State	Area in Ha	Production in Tonnes
Andhra Pradesh (Composite)	69159	466928
Karnataka	18035	90448
Maharashtra	13876	66791
Orissa	26830	202920
Tamilnadu	51446	277980
West Bengal	15779	38300
Gujarat	1936	28468
Mizoram	4500	22500
Meghalaya	1928	10058
Tripura	1295	9522
Kerala	2391	6216
All India	232543	1271250

Source: Spices Board INDIA

• The area under turmeric has steadily increased from 8058 hectares in 1977-78 with rhizome production of 158643 tonnes to 33000 hectares in 2000-01 with production of 1,24,040 tonnes.
• The productivity has also increased from 4125 kg/ha in 1977-78 to 4807kg/ha in 2000-2001.
• But after that there is a declining trend in area, production & productivity from 2002 to 2004. After 2004 turmeric area and production witnessed a continous increasing trend.

Year	Area (ha)	Production (tonnes)
1977-1978	8058	33,240
1978-1979	14,782	55,750
1979-1980	22,212	84,117
1980-1981	17,227	57,400
1981-1982	13,132	56,690
1982-1983	10,441	54,070
1983-1984	11,019	64,584
1984-1985	13,525	85,290
1992-1993	15,784	83,220
1994-1995	19,727	1,24,040
1999-2000	32511	167380
2000-2001	33000	158643
2001-2002	23638	118257
2002-2003	17298	64536
2003-2004	16181	67250
2004-2005	21616	118447
2005-2006	25970	143358
2006-2007	30528	175388
2007-2008	27303	146008
2008-2009	34637	172334
2009-2010	33368	169311
2010-2011	51446	277980
2011-2012	67246	368413

• Major turmeric growing districts are Erode, Coimbtore, Salem and Dharmapuri
• These districts come under Western and North Western Agroclimtic zones of Tamil Nadu, where well irrigation is high compared to other zones (78 per cent in North Western Zones and 59 per cent in Western Zones).
• Erode, Coimbatore and Salem are considered as the most efficient zone (Zone I - high yield and high spread).
• In the districts of Chengalpattu, Dharmapuri, Nagapattinam, Dindigul, Sivagangai and Tirunelveli, the turmeric yield may be high but spread is low (Zone II, high yield and low spread).
• In Villupuram district, the relative spread is more but relative yield is less (Zone III, low yield and high spread)
• In all other districts, the yield and spread are low (Zone IV).

District	Agro-climatic zone number and name	Produc-tivity rating zone number	Area (ha)	Production (tonnes)
Erode	III W	Zone I	12857	65108
Coimbatore	III W	Zone I	2454	27931
Salem	II NW	Zone I	13684	57580
Villupuram	I NE	Zone III	3911	10274
Dharmapuri	II NW	Zone II	14009	80426
Tiruchirapalli	IV CD	Zone IV	2329	9207
Thiruvannamalai	I NE	Zone IV	1246	6826
Dindigul	V S	Zone II	117	641
Madurai	V S	Zone IV	29	159
Thuthukudi	V S	Zone II	2	11
Tanjavur	IV CD	Zone IV	35	192
Tirunelveli	V S	Zone II	9	49
Pudukkottai	V S	Zone IV	14	77
Ramanathapuram	V S	Zone IV	1	5
The Nilgris	VII	-	10	55
State	-	-	67246	368413

• Erode, Dharmapuri, Coimbatore, Salem and Namakkal are major turmeric growing districts in the State.

I NE	I North Eastern
II NW	II North Western
III W	III Western
IV CD	IV Cauvery delta
V S	V Southern
VI HR	VI High rainfall
VII H	VII Hilly

Zone I	High yield, high spread
Zone II	High yield, low spread
Zone III	Low yield, high spread
Zone IV	Low yield, low spread

1. Tamil Nadu ranks second next to Andhra Pradesh (Composite) in respect of production

2. Erode, Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal and Dharmapuri are the major turmeric growing districts which account for 90 per cent production in Tamil Nadu.

Productivity zone	Districts
Zone I	Erode, Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal
Zone II	Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Karur, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam
Zone III	Villupuram
Zone IV	Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Perambalur, Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur, Cuddalore, Pudukkottai, Madurai, The Nilgiris, Theni, Ramanathapuram

Name	Dura-tion	Fresh yield (t/ha)		Dry recovery %	Curcumin %	Oleo- resin %	Ess ential oil %
		Average	Potential
CO.1	285 (L)	30.0	35.0	19.5	3.2	6.7	3.2
BSR 1.	285 (L)	30.7	39.6	20.5	4.2	4.0	3.7
BSR. 2.	245 (M)	32.7	43.2	20.0	3.8	-	-

L : Long duration;
M : Medium duration

• Turmeric is grown as sole crop as well inter crop under irrigated conditions, between June and March.
• The crop is grown in red soil, black soil and alluvial soil.

• Any developmental activities taken up will further improve and stabilise the productivity and production of turmeric in the most efficient Zone I.
• In Zone II, where high yield coupled with low spread is seen, attention is needed to expand the area through appropriate schemes and demonstrations.
• In Zone III , where low yield and high spread are observed the emphasis should be given on scientific management like introduction of improved varieties, fertilizer management, plant protection, etc.
• Farmers are generally averge to extensive cultivation, because turmeric is an unpredictable spice, in bringing profit to farmers.
• While the cost of cultivation has been increasing steadily every year, there has not been corresponding increase in the selling price.
• The yield obtained by farmers (25 quintals/ha) is also far below from satisfactory yield.
• It is suggested that Government would have to play an increasing role in encouraging farmers by fixing remunerative price.
• Developmental agencies both Government and private should give training to the farmers on scientific cultivation at appropriate time and take up proper monitoring by visiting the fields at critical stages of crop growth This will pave the way for enhancing the turmeric production at different zones especially in the efficient zones.
• Financial institutions and spice industry should also come forward to give loans to farmers at reasonable interest to meet periodic credit requirements.

Days	Operations
-20 to -10 days	The soil is brought to a fine tilth by giving 4 to 5 ploughings on receipt of early rains. Apply 10 tonnes of farm yard manure/ha, 10 tonnes of well rotten sheep manure or poultry manure/ha and 200 kg of neem or groundnut cake/ha during the last ploughing.
-10 to -5 days	Clods breaking
-5 to -3 days	Forming ridges and furrows at 45 to 50 cm apart.
- 1 day	Seed treatment: The seed rhizomes intended for planting should be soaked for 30 minutes in carbendazim (1 g/lit) solution prior to planting to protect against rhizome rot. This is followed by soaking for another 15 minutes with phosalone 35 EC (2 ml/lit) or monocrotophos 36 WSC (1.5 ml/lit) against scales
	Basal application of NPK fertilizers at 25 kg N, 60 kg P and 18 kg K, 30 kg of FeSO4 and 15 kg of ZnSO4/ha
1st day	Irrigation and planting of seed rhizomes in the sides of the ridges 45 cm apart at 15 cm spacing at a depth of 4 cm (mother rhizomes 1750 to 2000 kg/ha or fingers 1250 to 1500 kg/ha).
3rd day	The herbicide, fluchloralin (Basalin) 45 ECis sprayed (2 lit./ha to be dissolved in 625 litres of water) to control weeds. Then the field is irrigated (life irrigation).
10th day	Irrigation
20th day	Weeding and irrigation
30th day	First top dressing with 25 kg N/ha and 18 kg K/ha
	Application of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria each at 10 kg/ha followed by irrigation.
40th day	Irrigation
50th day	Irrigation
60th day	Weeding (if necessary) Application of well rotten sheep manure or poultry manure at 10 t/ha. Second top dressing with 25 N/ha and 18 kg K/ha and earthing up followed by irrigation.
70th day	Irrigation
80th day	Irrigation
90th day	Weeding (if necessary) Third top dressing with 25 kg N/ha and 18 kg K/ha Application of carbofuran 3 G at 33 kg/ha for nematode management followed by irrigation
100th day	Irrigation
110th day	Irrigation
120th day	Weeding (if necessary) Fourth top dressing with 25 kg N/ha and 18 kg K/ha and earthing up followed by irrigation
130th day	Irrigation
140th day	Irrigation
150th day	Weeding (if necessary)
	Fifth top dressing with 25 kg N/ha and 18 kg K/ha.
	Drenching dimethoate 30 EC (2 ml/lit) or phosalone 35 EC (2 ml/lit) or application of carbofuran 3 G at 33 kg/ha for rhizome scale management.
160th day	Irrigation
170th day	Spraying 375 g of Ferrous sulphate, 375 g of Zinc sulphate, 375 g Borax and 375 g of urea in 250 litres of water/ha for correcting deficiency of micronutrients especially Iron, Zinc and Boron at rhizome development stage. The above micronutrients are dissolved in super phosphate slurry (15 kg super phosphate is dissolved in 25 lit of water, stored overnight and the supernatant solution is made upto 250 lit). In this solution, the micronutrients are added. Irrigation
180th day	Irrigation
185th to 195th day	Repeat the micronutrient spray as done on 170th day
200th day	Irrigation
210th day	Irrigation
220th day	Irrigation
230th day	Irrigation
240th to 270th day	When plants show signs of yellowing and withering, harvesting is taken up

• Irrigation may be given once in 7 to 10 days depending upon the type of soil, availability of well water and intensity of rainfall.
• Plant protection for pests and diseases may be followed based on the need.

• India is the 'Spice bowl' of the world.
• The history of Indian spices dates back to the beginning of human civilization.
• According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, 63 spices including turmeric are grown in India.
• India is the largest producer of turmeric, producing 100,000 tonnes of cured turmeric annually, of which 94 to 97 per cent is consumed at home.
• Remaining 3 to 6 per cent is exported to the USA, Sri Lanka, Japan, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Iran, Bangladesh and South Africa.
• India is able to earn foreign exchange for more than Rs.100 crores by way of exporting 27,750 tonnes of turmeric and turmeric products such as turmeric powder, turmeric oil and oleoresin.
• During 1997-98, the major importers of turmeric from India are UAE (Rs.11.57 crores), Iran (Rs.10.86 crores), Japan (Rs.6.75 crores), Bangladesh (Rs.5.67 crores) and South Africa (Rs.3.55 crores)
• The export percent on production was 2.33 during 1985-86 and it has steadily increased to 6.28 during 1995-96.
• The unit value has also increased to Rs.25.32/kg in 1996-97 from Rs.14.13 kg of rhizome in 1985-86.

• It is used to flavour and colour butter, cheese, margarine, pickles, mustard, liquor, fruit drinks, cakes, table jellies and other food stuff. It is one of the principal ingredients of curry powder, which is a blend of many spices, common salt and farinaceous matter.
• Provides a natural dye to colour cloth, leather, silk, palm fibre, wool and cotton.
• As a chemical indicator, it changes colour in alkaline and acid substrates. Turmeric paper, prepared by soaking unglazed white paper in the tincture and then dried is used as a test for alkaloids and boric acid.
• Turmeric rhizomes yield 2-6% orange yellow essential oil (curcumin, upon oxidation becomes vanillin) used in flavouring spice products and in perfumery.
• Powdered turmeric is antioxidant.
• One fraction of oil of turmeric has antiarthritic and antiinflammatory activity in rats.
• Curcumin has antiedemic activity.
• The major quantity of turmeric is utilized as a condiment and only a small quantity is used in medicines and cosmetics in India.
• In many Asian countries, turmeric is used as a food adjunct in vegetables, meat and fish preparation.
• It also acts as an appetizer and aids in digestion.
• A pinch of turmeric powder is often added to most of our savouries to impart simultaneously an agreeable flavour, colour and to improve keeping quality.
• Turmeric oil and oleoresin are also used to impart the flavour in food and perfume industries.
• The antimicrobial properties of essential oil from turmeric are reported against pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
• The essential oil of turmeric is antiseptic and it is used in treating gall stones and gall complaints.
• Turmeric preparations are traditional beauty aids for India women. Smearing turmeric paste on face and limbs during a bath, clears the skin and beautifies the face.
• Its antiseptic and healing properties are said to be both preventive and cure for the much feared malady of adolescence pimples.
• Kum-kum popular with every housewife is also a by-product of turmeric. It finds a place in offerings on religious and ceremonial occasions.
• Indonesians used turmeric to dye their bodies as part of their wedding ritual.
• In recent years, turmeric powder was found to be effective against. Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus causing grasserie disease in silkworm.

• Medicinally, turmeric is regarded as carminative, stomachic, a cure for liver troubles, taken internally for treating ulcers, or externally as an ointment to heal skin sores.
• Boiled with milk and sugar, it is used as a cold remedy.
• Orientals use the rhizome for jaundice
• In turmeric, antagonistic medicinal compounds such as curcumin increasing bile secretion and bis-desmethoxy curcumin decreasing it are recorded.
• Chinese consider the root alterative, antiparasitic, antiperiodic, cholagogue, depurative, haemostat, stomachic, tonic, and apply it externally for inflammation, indolent ulcers and purulent ophthalmia.
• They use turmeric for abdominal pain, bruises, chest pains, colic, coma, dysmenorrhea, epistaxis, fever, flatulence, hematuria, hematemesis, hepatitis, sores and tooth ache, and poultice in onto itch, ringworm and sores
• They also employ turmeric for arsenic poisoning, hemoptysis, mania, post partum haemorrhage and primary syphilis.
• Ayurvedics use turmeric as alterative, antiperiodic, depurative, stomachic, tonic, perhaps reflecting the fact that the essential oil is antiseptic, antacid, apertif, stomachic and tonic in small doses and acting as antispasmodic in large doses.
• Ayurvedics also prescribe for boils, biliousness, bruises, dyspepsia, dysuria, elephantiasis, inflammations, leucoderma, scabies, smallpox, snakebite, and swellings.
• Yunanis prescribe for affections of the liver and jaundice, urinary discharges, scabies and bruises.
• A decoction of the rhizomes is applied to relieve catarrh and purulent ophthalmia.
• Indians apply roots to leech bites.
• Fumes of burning turmeric directed into the nostrils cause a copious mucous discharge and relieve the congestion.
• Turmeric is given in diarrhea, so troublesome and difficult to subdue in atonic subjects.
• It is employed in intermittent fevers and dropsy.
• The root, parched and powdered is given in bronchitis; the fumes are used during hysteric fits.
• A paste made of fresh rhizome is applied on the head in cases of vertigo.
• Turmeric and alum are blown into the ear in chronic otorrhea.
• The flowers, pasted, are used in ringworm, other parasitic skin diseases and gonorrhea.
• Cambodians consider the leaves anti-pyretic.
• In Madagascar, the rhizome is used as an aperient, astringent, carminative, cordial, detergent, diuretic, emmenagogue, maturant, stimulant and tonic.
• From the "food farmacy" for lymphoma, turmeric is an important source of curcumin and burdock, an important source of arctigenin and trachelogenin.

Particulars	Cured turmeric	Ground turmeric	Fresh root
Caloric value	390	354	46
	All units in grams
Water	5.8	11.4	88.2
Protein	8.6	7.8	1.2
Total lipid	8.9	9.9	1.8
Total carbohydrates	63.0	64.9	7.9
Fibre	6.9	6.7	0.9
Ash	6.8	6.0	0.9
Calcium	0.20	0.182	0.0027
Iron	0.05	0.0414	0.0023
Magnesium	-	0.193	-
Phosphorus	0.26	0.268	0..0064
Potassium	2.50	2.525	487 mg*
Sodium	0.01	0.038	0.03
Zinc	-	0.0044	-
Ascorbic acid	0.0498	0.0258	Trace
Thiamine	-	0.0015	0.00002
Riboflavin	-	0.0023	0.00003
Niacin	0.0048	0.051	0.00005
Vitamin A	175 IU	50 IU	-
Phytosterols	-	0.082	-
Vitamin B1	0.00009	Traces	-
Vitamin B2	0.00019	-	-

• *beta-carotene equivalent.

• The main colouring constituent of turmeric is curcumin.
• Curcuma domestica contains higher curcumin content in range of 2.5 to 5.5 per cent whereas the other Curcuma species like C. aromatica, C. zedoaria and C.xanthorriza have very low curcumin content.
• Chemistry of curcumin was worked out as early as in 1870 by Daube, who isolated curcumin as a crystalline compound. Later, curcumin was obtained as lead salt from alcoholic extract.
• It is an orange yellow crystalline powder.
• Curcumin is a broad spectrum bactericide and fungicide.
• Curcumin is used in the preparation of curcuma paper for the detection of boron and arsenic.
• It is the main constituent, which forms a basis to make kum kum by lime treatment.
• Curcumin is responsible for antioxidant property of turmeric.
• It is also reported that curcumin controls hyperglycaemia and also a potential anti-cancer agent.
• Curcumin has been permitted as a food additive under joint WHO/FAO specifications where ADI (acceptable daily intake) has been fixed at 0 to 0.1 mg/kg of body weight based on an average content of 3 per cent curcumin in turmeric.
• The adulterants found generally in turmeric samples are foreign starches (tapioca, arrow root, cereal flours), husks, coaltar colours, lead chromate, etc.
• These adulterants considerably bring down the curcumin content.
• The existing specifications for turmeric powder under the provisions of Mandatory/Voluntary Food Laws do not specify any limit for curcumin content.
• However, Federal specifications include curcumin and volatile oil limits for Alleppey and Jamaica varieties of turmeric.

Characteristics (Maximum %)	Specifications
	Indian standard IS: 2446-1963	PFA	Agmark
Moisture	10.0	13.0	10.0
Total ash	7.0	9.0	9.0
Acid insoluble ash	1.5	1.5	1.5
Total starch	60.0	60.0	60.0
Lead content (ppm)	2.5	10.0	2.5
Chromate test	-ve	-ve	-ve

Parameters (Maximum %)	Limits
Moisture	9.0
Ash	7.0
Ash insoluble in dil. HCl	0.5
Crude fibre	9.5
Volatile oil % min.	3.5
Curcumin % min.	5.0 to 6.6