1) We are delighted to inform that India is going to host the third session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) from 6th to 10th February 2017 in Chennai, India.

2) The Codex Alimentarius Commission, an international body jointly established in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), works for the development and adoption of Codex food standards and guidelines.

3) As an export promotion body for Indian spices, Spices Board India took the initiative to establish an exclusive committee for spices and culinary herbs by submitting a new work proposal at the Codex Session (CAC36) in 2012. The formation of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) was approved by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2013. The scope of CCSCH is the development and adoption of Codex standards for spices and culinary herbs, considering various national and regional standards. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between India, the host country of CCSCH, and the FAO with the approval of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

4) Spices Board India, being the organization managing the Secretariat of the CCSCH, organizes the CCSCH sessions at an interval of 18 months. The first session of CCSCH was conducted in February 2014 at Kochi, Kerala, with 107 participants from 40 countries. The second session of CCSCH was held in Goa in September 2015, with 99 delegates from 38 countries and three Observer organizations. The third session will deliberate on important documents already listed in the meeting agenda.

5) Codex standards are not mandatory but are referred to in cases of international trade disputes. These international standards help minimize non-tariff barriers to trade. Through discussions in the second session, Codex draft standards for Black Pepper, Green Pepper, White Pepper, and Cumin were finalized by CCSCH and moved to further adoption stages. As ISO classifies 109 commodities as spices and culinary herbs, developing Codex standards for these commodities will help smoothen international spice trade. Major spice-producing countries in Africa, Asia, West Asia, and Latin America, along with spice-importing countries in North America, Australia, and Europe, are expected to attend this session.

6) For further information, Dr. P.S. Sreekantan Thampi, Organizing Secretary (CCSCH), may be contacted at the following address:

CCSCH Secretariat, Spices Board India,
(Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India),
Sugandha Bhavan, N.H. By-Pass, Palarivattom P.O.,
Cochin 682025, Kerala, India.

Tel: +91-48-42333606

Mobile: +91-94-47435059

Fax: +91-48-42333606

Email: ccsch@indianspices.com / ccschthampi@gmail.com

Website: www.ccsch.in

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