Clove is a versatile spice that is extensively used to flavor curries, meat, and fruits, in addition to being used as an aromatic agent in hot beverages. The crop is commercially harvested in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Zanzibar. Cloves are widely used as a home remedy to alleviate general gum pain as it contains a significant amount of an active component called eugenol. Additionally, it also aids in digestion, protects the liver, boosts the immune system, and fights cancer. Due to their unique taste and aroma, cloves have been extensively used in personal care products such as toothpaste, perfumes, and mouthwash. The demand in the global cloves market is increasing due to requirement from food and beverage industry and healthcare industry for medicinal and therapeutic purpose. According to a procurement market intelligence report by SpendEdge on the global cloves market, the total production volume is estimated to be around 153.5 thousand tons currently which is growing at a steady rate.
Trends in the global clove market
Rise in import to developed regions
The rising popularity of cloves has driven the demand from developed regions such as the EU. The import in EU has continued to grow despite the economic recession and rising commodity prices. This is because clove marginally affects the final cost of the food in which they are used. As a result, the demand for clove is relatively inelastic. In 2017, notable suppliers of clove from the developing countries to the EU were Indonesia accounting for 32% of the regional consumption, followed by Madagascar, Comoros ,Tanzania , Brazil , and Sri Lanka.
Preference for Organic Clove
Today, consumers are highly conscious of their health and lifestyle choices. In a bid to maintain a healthy lifestyle, people are turning towards organic foods. Similarly, demand for organic food ingredients, including clove, is on the rise. Traditional clove farming typically includes the use of various pesticides and chemicals leaving a residue of the chemicals in the processed cloves. As a result, consumers are demanding organic clove which does not contain traces of any chemicals. Using the organic tag to depict various health benefits will drive the consumption of naturally grown ingredients.
Preference for Branded Cloves
Cloves were usually sold in unbranded packages or in bulk. This trend seems to be shifting as consumers demand branded and packaged products which validate the authenticity of the spice, where labels communicate important information about the ingredients used. Health-conscious consumers usually look at the labels before making the purchase decisions. Unbranded clove is still popular in rural areas as these are directly sourced from small and medium-scale spice producers. This trend is most relevant in countries like Indonesia and Madagascar where clove trees are grown and clove production takes place on a large scale.
Use of steam sterilization technology
Microbes and pathogens like salmonella, yeasts, molds, and sporeformers often remain in clove after local processing due to treatment at low temperatures and simple processing. Steam sterilization naturally eliminates harmful bacteria by exposing the clove to saturated steam at high temperatures, i.e., 249.8°F to 273.2°F. The supplier can earn a significant premium if their product is steam-sterilized. However, such equipment is very costly where prices can go as high as $1.1 million. The major drawback of steam-sterilization is that it reduces the volatile oil content in cloves that is a key element influencing the flavor profile of the spice.
Read more about the trends in the clove market along with supply market insights, pricing insights, procurement best practices, key suppliers, and procurement challenges in SpendEdge’s upcoming report on the global cloves market.
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