(a) the details of activities undertaken by the Spices Board;
(b) whether the Government and the Spices Board extend assistance to the spice cultivators;
(c) if so, the manner in which they extend assistance to the spice cultivators;
(d) whether the spices industry in the country has been facing any problems; and
(e) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to address them?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
(SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)
(a): Spices Board is mandated for development, research and marketing of small and large cardamom and post harvesting improvement of spices having export potential. The Board is also responsible for the export promotion of Spices.
(b)&(c): Spice Board is implementing the “Export Oriented Production, Export Development & Promotion of Spices” Scheme wherein, assistance is provided to cultivators of small and large cardamom the form of subsidies through various programmes for production of quality planting materials, replanting of old and uneconomic gardens, new planting, irrigation development programme, improved curing facilities, farm mechanization, etc. for boosting production. Apart from the above, Spices Board implements several programmes for spices cultivators which inter alia includes development of infrastructure for common processing facilities in Spice Parks, adaptation of upgraded technology in spice processing, setting up of quality evaluation labs, quality certification and training of laboratory personnel, assistance to farmers on post-harvest quality improvement and imparting training to farmers in Good Agricultural Practices etc.
(d)&(e): The major challenges faced by the spice industry are price fluctuations, quality issues at farm level and low productivity due to climate vagaries, incidence of pests & diseases etc. In order to address the issue of price fluctuation, the Ministry has recently approved Revenue Insurance scheme for Plantation Crops, which includes small and large cardamom, to be implemented on pilot basis for protecting the farmers against losses arising from both fluctuations in yield as well as prices. Through the 12th Plan Scheme, various programmes for increasing the production and quality of small and large cardamom are effectively undertaken.
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