Golden Milk, to be served on Indian Railways and flights

Turmeric-infused milk, branded as Golden Milk, to be served on Indian Railways and flights

Palle Ganga Reddy, Chairman of the newly established Turmeric Board, emphasized the need for India to increase turmeric exports to ₹5,000 crore by 2030, up from the current ₹1,876 crore.

He urged farmers to focus on cultivating high-curcumin varieties to enhance their income. “Pesticide residues and heavy metal contamination continue to hinder India’s turmeric exports in global markets. Scientists must address these challenges and help farmers overcome them,” he said.

Reddy also highlighted the importance of promoting domestic consumption by introducing value-added products. He announced that the board plans to launch turmeric-infused milk, branded as Golden Milk, to be served on Indian Railways and flights.

He was speaking at the ‘Turmeric Stakeholders Conclave’ organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (NIRCA) in Rajahmundry on Friday.

Pointing out the country’s rich diversity in turmeric cultivation, Reddy noted that the crop is grown across India, with the exception of Goa. Also Read | Nizamabad turmeric farmers block highway to demand MSP of ₹15,000

Expressing concern over the high input costs associated with turmeric farming, he urged scientists to develop low-cost technologies to help farmers reduce production expenses.

Maganti Sheshu Madhav, Director of NIRCA, stated that India is home to a wide range of turmeric varieties, with six already granted Geographical Indication (GI) tags.

“NIRCA has set a target to increase turmeric exports from 1.6 lakh tonnes to 2.7 lakh tonnes over the next five years,” he said.