Lok Sabha Question No. 497 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-20
Subject: Damage to Coffee and Spices Plantations
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shobha Karandlaje

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 497 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 th NOVEMBER, 2019 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20

## DAMAGE TO COFFEE AND SPICES PLANTATIONS

## 497. KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािण�य एवं उ�ोग मं�ी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any assessment of damage caused to coffee and spices plantations in the States of Karnataka and Kerala has been made in view of heavy rains and floods in the regions and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  intends  to  provide  some  incentives  and  relief  to  coffee  and spices growers to help them establish their plantation and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has constituted any Task Force to assess the extent of damage due to natural calamity and suggest suitable measures and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  time  likely  to  be  taken  to  ensure  that  coffee  and  spices  growers  attain  financial stability?

## ANSWER

## okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h ( Jh ih;w'k xks;y ) THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a):   The Coffee Board's Extension teams carried out preliminary surveys (current year) in the calamity affected areas both in Karnataka and Kerala states to estimate the extent of damage to the coffee plantations due to flooding/landslides and damage to standing coffee crop due to premature fruit drop and fungal diseases. As per the preliminary assessment in Karnataka state, out of the total bearing area of 2, 26,244 hectares, an area of about 97,365 hectares has been reported to be affected by crop loss of more than 33% and an area of 620 hectares is reported to have been affected by landslides/floods.  In Kerala an area of about 850 hectares has been reported to be affected with crop loss of more than 33% and about an area of 16 hectares of plantations are reported to have been affected by landslides/floods.

As per the assessment made by the Directorate of Horticulture, Karnataka, 11502 hectares of black pepper, 3184 hectares of ginger, 573 hectares of turmeric and 25891 hectares of chilli have been severely affected in the State due to heavy rain this year with an estimated crop loss of more than 33%.

In  Kerala,  the  Department  of Agriculture  Development  and  Farmers  Welfare  made  an assessment of crop damages due to heavy rain. Crop-wise details of spices completely damaged are given below:

| Crop                    |   Pepper |   Nutmeg |   Ginger |   Cardamom |   Clove |   Total |
|-------------------------|----------|----------|----------|------------|---------|---------|
| Area affected (hectare) |    40.23 |    88.67 |    13.25 |      25.08 |    0.56 |  167.79 |
| Farmers affected        |  3074    |  3542    |   456    |     530    |   56    | 7658    |

Source: Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development

Further,  the  Spices  Board  had  assisted  the  State  Government  of  Karnataka  in  the assessment of the damage caused to the cardamom plantations due to heavy rains in the Coorg district. As per the report, about 1800 hectares of cardamom plantations have been affected with a crop loss of more than 33%. The report has been submitted to the State Government.

- (b) Under the extant provisions of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response  Fund  (NDRF),  relief  in  the  form  of  input  subsidy  for  agriculture  crops,  horticulture crops, annual plantation crops, perennial crops and sericulture is provided when crops loss is 33% and above. For the perennial crops, norms of assistance is Rs.18,000 per hectare.
- (c): The Coffee Board, Spices Board and Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development have not constituted any Task Force during the current year to assess the extent of damage due to natural calamity.

## (d):  Coffee and Spices need a minimum of 3-4 years for economic yield after planting. *****