KOCHI: As part of boosting production of spices in the country, Spices Board has launched a slew of measures to support farmers.
The Board will extend financial assistance to farmers for irrigation, land development, mechanisation, replanting, soil conservation and organic farming, mainly small cardamom.
Its chairman Dr A. Jayathilak said the initiatives were part of the Board’s 12th plan to improve export-oriented production of small cardamom and post-harvest improvement of other spices across the spice growing regions.
Under the new schemes, cultivators of small cardamom in Kerala and Tamil Nadu will get up to Rs 70,000 for replanting while farmers in Karnataka will get up to Rs 50,000.
The Board will also provide up to 25 percent of the actual cost for development of irrigation and land development.
For water storage structures, assistance will be up to 50 percent. The farmers will also get funding up to 25 per cent for soil conservation.
The Board will bear 33.33 per cent of the actual cost (limited to Rs 12, 000) for the construction of 200-cubic metre capacity tanks for rainwater harvesting.
They will also get a maximum of '1 lakh in subsidy for purchasing improved cardamom curing devices and 50 per cent subsidy for ‘good agricultural practices kits’ and beekeeping boxes.
It provides assistance for post-harvest improvement process of spices in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the north-eastern states.
