The Commerce Ministry is considering a proposal to merge commodity boards and set up an umbrella organization to improve production and exports of plantation crops like tea, coffee, rubber, tobacco, and spices. Some of these boards were set up way back in the 1940s and their merger could help in harmonizing their activities and in turn, enhance the quality and boost exports. There are five commodity boards to address the issues of production, development, and export of tea, coffee, rubber, spices, and tobacco. "India has a huge potential to boost agri exports. One board will provide better services. So, we are working to form one specialized body with different verticals," a senior commerce ministry official told PTI. The Coffee Board is a statutory organization constituted under the Coffee Act, 1942. Similarly, the Rubber Board was constituted under the Rubber Act, 1947. Tea Board was set up on 1st April 1954 under the Tea Act, 1953. The Tobacco Board was constituted in January 1976, while the Spices Board was formed in February 1987.