Turmeric (Curcuma longa.) is One of exported spice in Ethiopia, Southwest Ethiopia produce this spice as a cash crop and many lively hoods had been depend on it for a living. Turmeric production in Ethiopia mainly concentrated at southwest part of the country (Sheka, bench-maji and keffa zones) however, recently major ginger producing areas including wolayta zone shifts the land to turmeric production because of ginger bacterial wilt and good demand for turmeric. Even though turmeric production plays an important role in the producer’s livelihood, its trend of production, productivity and quality has declined continuously for the last ten years. The market situation is characterized by anti-competitiveness and the producers were forced into the role of price takers. Its production and marketing are highly constrained by high price of fertilizer, seed shortage, pesticide shortage, labor and boiling raw materials like (wood and water) , traditional processing practices, lack of market, low price of the product, large number of intermediaries, absence (weakness) of marketing institutions, Absence of formal and structured marketing information dissemination. Therefore, these constraints require special attention if the production is to be increased.
Keywords: Constraints, Production, Turmeric, opportunities, spice
