Exports of turmeric from Tamil Nadu’s Erode district have recorded a 5% year-on-year increase, driven by rising global demand for the spice’s medicinal properties and growing consumption worldwide.
Renowned for its high curcumin content—ranging between 2.5% and 3.9%—Erode turmeric carries a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and remains one of the district’s most important crops. The 10-month crop is sown during June–July and harvested in February–March. After processing, turmeric is traded through regulated and agricultural producers’ cooperative markets in Erode, Perundurai and Gobichettipalayam.
Next only to Nizamabad in Telangana, the Erode turmeric market is the second-largest in the country. It serves as a major auction hub for produce from across the district, neighbouring regions and select other States. Erode turmeric is exported to several international markets, including Germany, Iran, Iraq, Morocco, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, the Netherlands and Bangladesh.
Between April and November 2024, turmeric exports stood at 1.21 lakh metric tonnes. This rose to 1.27 lakh metric tonnes during the corresponding period this year, reflecting steady overseas demand.
“Post-COVID-19, global demand for turmeric has increased significantly due to its medicinal value and higher consumption,” said M. Sathyamurthy, Secretary of the Erode Turmeric Merchants and Godown Owners’ Association. “Annual export growth has consistently ranged between 5% and 10% over the past few years.”
Turmeric is cultivated across approximately 1.60 lakh acres in Tamil Nadu, with over 30% of this area located in Erode district. Of the nearly seven lakh bags produced annually in the State, more than two lakh bags originate from Erode alone.
Officials from the Department of Horticulture noted an overall upward trend in the area under turmeric cultivation in the district, despite year-to-year fluctuations. The cultivated area stood at 10,522 acres in 2020–21, rising to 11,880 acres in 2021–22 and 11,599 acres in 2022–23. It dipped to 9,190 acres in 2023–24 before recovering to 11,406 acres in 2024–25 and further increasing to 11,860 acres in 2025–26.
Price trends have also supported farmer interest. Over the past 12 years, turmeric prices largely hovered between ₹5,000 and ₹6,000 per quintal before surging to ₹24,000 per quintal in 2024. Prices later stabilised in the ₹12,000–₹15,000 range, encouraging farmers to expand cultivation.
At the Erode Regulated Market on Monday (December 29, 2025), prices for the finger variety ranged between ₹8,586 and ₹15,629 per quintal, while the bulb variety traded between ₹7,569 and ₹14,333 per quintal.