(a) whether the Government proposes to extend facility similar to special purpose tea fund to other cash crops like cardamom, rubber and coffee;
(b) if so, the details thereof, crop-wise, State-wise;
(c) whether crop insurance has been extended for various cash crops particularly tea, rubber, tobacco, chilly, ginger, peppers and cardamom as promised by the Government; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY(SHRI JAIRAM RAMESH)
(a)& (b): Government has been extending assistance for replantation of coffee, rubber and
cardamom, the details of which are as follows:-
Coffee: Subsidy for replanting to replace the uneconomical coffee blocks with a financial
outlay of Rs.100 crores for replanting in 40000 hectare is provided under Development Support
Scheme of the Board for the XI Plan. Subsidy is available for replanting of Arabica & Robusta
at 40% of the unit cost for growers owning coffee land upto 2 hectare, 30% up to 2-10 hectare
and 25 % of the unit cost for large growers having more than 10 hectares with unit cost for
Arabica estimated at Rs.1.00 lakh and for Robusta Rs.0.70 lakh per hectare.
Rubber: Financial Assistance for new planting and replanting of rubber plantations is provided
under the Rubber Plantation Development Scheme and Scheme for Rubber Development in North East(NE). The schemes are implemented region-wise and not State-wise. An assistance of Rs.19,500
per hectare is limited upto 2 hectare for growers who own upto 5 hectare of rubber in
traditional-area, Rs, 30,000 per hectare for growers who own upto 20 hectare in non-
traditional region other than NE and NE region.
Cardamom: Government has approved a scheme during 11th Plan with an outlay of Rs.122.23 crores
for increasing production and productivity of cardamom through a Special Purpose Fund Scheme
of replantation and rejuvenation. Under the scheme, it is proposed to cover small cardamom-
replantation of 10,000 hectares in Kerala & Tamil Nadu and 15,000 hectare in Karnataka.
Rejuvenation of 15,000 hectares in Kerala & Tamil Nadu. Large cardamom- replantation and
rejuvenation of 10,000 hectares each in Sikkim and Darjeeling district of West Bengal.
(c)&(d): No Government supported Insurance Scheme operates for the tea, rubber, tobacco,
chilly, zinger, peppers and cardamom.