Spices Board pushes for more sops

Offers financial aid for various farming activities and equipment

Kochi: In order to boost spices production in the country, Spices Board has launched a raft of measures to support farmers by offering various subsidies and sensitise them to the need to enhance their quality through post-harvest improvement techniques.

The Board said it has also decided to provide financial aid to farmers for irrigation, land development, mechanisation, replanting, soil conservation and organic farming of various spices, mainly small cardamom.

It would also give them financial aid for purchasing state-of-the-art irrigation and farming equipment and tools. Spices Board Chairman 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 spice-growing regions in India.

"The eligibility criteria for availing the benefits are based on land held by the grower and is different for each programme," he said. Under the new schemes, cultivators of small cardamom in Kerala and Tamil Nadu would receive up to Rs 70,000 for replanting, while farmers in Karnataka will get up to Rs 50,000.

They would also receive aid for planting material production. To help small cardamom farmers in the three southern states in irrigation and land development, the Board would give financial aid up to 25 per cent of actual cost for acquiring irrigation pump sets, sprinkler sets, equipment for gravity fed irrigation system and up to 50 per cent for water storage structure.

The farmers would also get funding up to 25 per cent for soil conservation. Besides, the Board will bear 33.33 per cent of the actual cost (limited to Rs 12,000) for construction of 200 cubic metre capacity tanks for rainwater harvesting.

They would also get a maximum of Rs one lakh in subsidy to purchase improved cardamom curing devices and 50 per cent subsidy for GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) kits and bee-keeping boxes.