On June 29, 2025, Union Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the headquarters of the newly established National Turmeric Board in Nizamabad. He described the board as a significant step towards empowering turmeric farmers, particularly in Telangana, and stated that its formation fulfils a 40-year-old demand of lakhs of farmers, as well as a key promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2023 elections.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, attended by Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and several other dignitaries, Minister Shah described Nizamabad as the “turmeric capital” of India. He said that despite the district’s historic association with turmeric cultivation, its produce had not gained a significant foothold in international markets, something the new board aims to change within the next few years.
The minister announced that the National Turmeric Board will help eliminate middlemen and create an end-to-end supply chain, from production and processing to packaging, branding, marketing, and global export.
He emphasised turmeric’s growing global reputation as a natural medicine, calling it a “wonder drug” due to its antiviral, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. He also said that production and marketing of GI-tagged organic turmeric have already begun and will receive strong institutional support through the board.
Highlighting the government's ambitious target of USD 1 billion in turmeric exports by 2030, Shah said the board would work to ensure farmers get maximum value for their produce while also expanding the global footprint of Indian turmeric. He added that research and development initiatives would further promote the health benefits of turmeric on the international stage.
Shah mentioned key turmeric-producing districts, including Nizamabad, Jagtial, Nirmal, and Kamareddy, which will benefit from the board's initiatives. In 2025, the price of turmeric reached Rs 18,000 to Rs 19,000 per quintal, and he expressed confidence that, with the board’s intervention, this price could increase by another Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 over the next three years.
He concluded by noting that Prime Minister Modi has delivered on his promises, not just by creating the National Turmeric Board but also through broader initiatives such as the National Cooperative Exports Limited and National Cooperative Organics Limited, aimed at boosting income for export-oriented and organic farmers.
