Lucknow, Nov. 29 -- Farmers can earn higher returns even from small landholdings by cultivating spices alongside medicinal, floricultural and industrial crops, said horticulture minister Dinesh Pratap Singh while inaugurating the fifth Spice Seminar and Exhibition 2025 in Lucknow on Friday. Addressing farmers, growers and agricultural scientists, Singh stressed that adopting modern technologies and government schemes will help to enhance the quality of spice production and raise farm incomes. He noted that India's spice market valued at Rs 2,00,643.7 crore in 2024 was projected to grow to over Rs 5,13,253.9 crore by 2033, driven by increasing domestic and global demand and a shift toward branded, value-added products. Guest of honour Mukesh Singh, chairman of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, said India exported spices worth Rs 39,994.48 crore (US$4.72 billion) in the financial year 2025, mainly to the US, China, UAE and Bangladesh. He called for boosting value-added exports and making Uttar Pradesh a leading state in spice production and exports, especially of ginger and garlic....