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Rejuvenation package for spices soon

KOCHI: The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry will soon announce the rejuvenation package for the major agricultural commodities of cardamom, pepper, rubber, coffee, cashew and coconuts.

According to Spices Board sources here, the cardamom plantation sector will be given an investment package for replantation under the rejuvenation package to the extent of Rs.211 crore for 30,000 hectares. Pepper sector will get Rs.350 an acre for 60,000 hectares in seven years, for rubber Rs300 crore for 35,000 hectares in five years, for cashew Rs.400 to Rs.500 crore for one lakh hectares, for coffee Rs.400 crore to cover 80,000 to 90,000 hectares in the next seven to eight years and for coconut Rs.1,500 crore for four lakh hectares in 15 years. For tea industry the rejuvenation package has already been introduced in two lakh hectares, which will be covered in the next 15 years.

Focus is being given to develop North Eastern region of the country as an organic zone particularly for spices such as ginger, turmeric and chillies. With regard to tea, Darjeeling tea is an important segment. Of the country’s total tea production of 970 million kg, Darjeeling tea accounts for 90 million kg. Of this 30 million kg is targeted to be produced as organic tea. The tribal belt of Paderu in Vizag district of Andhra Pradesh is also being considered as a region for the production of organic coffee. Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh is being targeted for the development of organic chillies. Setting up a spice park for turmeric in Erode, Tamil Nadu, cardamom and pepper park in Idukki district, for Mint in Uttar Pradesh, for chillies in Guntur and for seed spices in Rajasthan, are also on the cards.

According to Chairman of Spices Board V.J. Kurian the Board is committed to develop the industry in a big way. The initial doubts about the introduction of electronic auction in cardamom have been cleared. Spices Board’s brand Flavourit will soon become the major Indian brand of spices that will be sold both within and outside India. For popularising the brand, a new company has been registered and this outfit will be manned by professionals.

In order to improve the exports of value-added spices, a new centre for value-added spices is being developed in Mysore in association with the Central Food Technological Research Institute.

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