To mitigate the ill effects of the natural calamities that hit cardamom growing belts in August last year, the Spices Board has formulated a proposal to rejuvenate the plantations, which are owned predominantly by small and marginal growers.

Incessant rain, strong wind, landslides, and water stagnation had had a devastating effect on the sensitive crop. The outbreak of diseases like Azhukal (capsule rot) compounded the situation.

Idukki, Wayanad, Palakkad and Kottayam districts in Kerala, and Kodagu, Hassan, Chickamagaluru, and Shivamogga districts of Karnataka were severely affected.

The five-year plan includes re-plantation on 6,000 hectares in Kerala and 2,000 hectares in Karnataka, at a total cost of ₹156 crore, senior officials in the Spices Board said.

The second component is producing planting materials to help in re-plantation and gap filling. To take up re-plantation and gap filling, it is estimated that 82,50,000 healthy suckers are needed and this will be produced in farmers’ fields at a total cost of ₹192.50 lakh.

The Board has already initiated efforts on re-plantation, planting material production, extension support and so on.

The survey conducted to assess the damage showed that the crop loss in Kerala was 42 per cent and plant loss 45 per cent. In Karnataka, it was 49 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively.

According to officials, the Centre has approved the implementation of the two proposals — re-plantation and planting material production — during 2018-19 and 2019-20 at an outlay of ₹21.19 crore. During 2018-19, the Board had replanted 616.45 hectare (Ha) in the affected areas by providing a subsidy of ₹209.45 lakh.

The programmes are being implemented on a war footing basis to revive the cardamom industry, the officials added.

In addition, a rejuvenation programme for partly damaged plantations — 10,000 ha in Kerala and 5,000 ha in Karnataka — to bring them to production phase by providing inputs and taking up culture operations has been proposed at a total cost of ₹176 crore with a subsidy component of ₹44 crore. 

The proposal is being pursued for approval/funding, the officials said.

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