The Hindu : Front Page : Agri Export Zones yet to take off

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Saturday, Sep 22, 2007
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Agri Export Zones yet to take off

N.J. Nair

Project is aimed at empowering farmers to brave the threats of globalisation

Funds sanctioned for project remain unutilised
Project to benefit around 20,000 farmers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An ambitious project to set up Agri Export Zones (AEZs) to step up agriculture exports from the State and empower farmers to brave the threats of globalisation, has failed to achieve its target due to bureaucratic apathy.

Official sources told The Hindu that Rs.5.84 crore sanctioned by the Government from the Plan funds in two instalments since 2003 for cultivating fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants remained largely unutilised.

The funds were deposited with a nationalised bank and the interest was still being utilised to meet routine expenses of the department, sources said. The project to set up exclusive zones for cultivating fruits and vegetables at an estimated expense of Rs.9 crore was drawn up in 2002-03 at a cost of Rs.18 lakh. The zones were planned in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts.

A memorandum of understanding was signed with the Agriculture Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) which comes under the Union Ministry for Food Processing for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants.

It was proposed to cultivate banana on 3,000 hectares and vegetables and pineapple on 500 hectares each. The scheme was expected to benefit around 20,000 farmers.

Instead of Kottayam and Alappuzha, Wayanad and Malappuram were identified for growing 23 varieties of medicinal plants in over 1,000 hectares. But for stray efforts to grow fruits and vegetables and appoint agriculture officers to monitor the implementation process, the project failed to achieve its mission for want of support and encouragement from the Government, sources said.

Following the tardy implementation of the project, the Central Government had gone back on its commitment and the State failed to get its due for developing the sector.

The Centre had not given administrative sanction for projects for cultivating spices as well as for floriculture. Considering the crisis in the sector and the instances of farmers’ suicides, if the Government failed to initiate timely steps, the State would be the major loser, sources said.

When contacted, a department spokesperson said that fruits and vegetable cultivation had already begun and is progressing. Cultivation of medicinal plants too started. The department identified the glitches and started taking remedial measures, he said.

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