Lok Sabha Question No. 1579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Cardamom Cultivation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Gautham Sigamani Pon, C.N. Annadurai, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Dhanush M Kumar, Ganesan Selvam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1579

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## CARDAMOM CULTIVATION

1579      SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON: SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI: SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR: SHRI SELVAM G.:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a)      the area under cardamom cultivation along with the average total annual production in the country during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
- (b)      whether the farmers cultivating cardamom have been affected due to COVID-19, if so, the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  assist  the  cardamom cultivators;
- (c)      whether the Government is implementing any Centrally Sponsored Schemes for the holistic development of cardamom in the country;
- (d)      if so, the details thereof and the financial assistance provided during each of the last three years and the outcome thereof;
- (e)     the reason for inability to boost cardamom cultivation even though the country has large potential for its growth; and
- (f)       the other steps taken by the Government to increase the production of cardamom in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) The area under Cardamom cultivation along with the annual production in the country during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise, is at Annexure-I.
- (b):      Directorate  of  Arecanut  &  Spices  Development  (DASD)  has  reported  that  the Cardamom  plantation  sector  has  been  affected  due  to  the  outbreak  of  COVID  19  and consequent lockdown and restrictions imposed to contain the spread of the pandemic. The major  issues  faced  by  the  sector  were  the  non-  availability  of  migrant  labourers,  and marketing facilities  including  logistics  due  to  the  restrictions  in  movement  coupled  with  the decline in the commercial activities across the globe. As the restrictions are relaxed by the Government the situation is coming back to normal.

….contd..2/-

In order to support the Cardamom farmers for selling their produce, the Spices Board India under Commerce Ministry has initiated steps and restarted the e-auction for cardamom by following the covid protocol. The Board has formulated standard operational procedures (SOP)  for  the  small  and  large  Cardamom  sectors  covering  all  aspects  from  production  to marketing, to ensure the safety of stakeholders.

The  Spices  Board  has  released  an  advisory  on  the  diligent  use  of  pesticides  and practicing the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for the cardamom farmers. In view of the COVID  situation,  social  media  group  of  farmers  were  created  for  online  dissemination  of information on scientific cultivation practices and other cultural operations. Online webinars are being conducted at the field level to help the farmers and to address the issues in the sector.

(c) & (d):  DASD has reported that the Spices Board  is implementing two schemes viz., for Small Cardamom  and Large Cardamom.  In the Small Cardamom  scheme, assistance is provided    for  Re-planting    (upto    8  Hectare)  Irrigation  and  Land  Development,  Improved Cardamom    Curing  Devices,  Supply  of  kits,  Bee-keeping  Boxes,  Mechanization  and Extension Advisory Services.

Under  the  Large  Cardamom    scheme,  assistance  is  provided    for  Re-plantation  of large Cardamom plantations, New planting, Production of Quality Planning Material, Curing, Supply of  Vermi  Compost  Unit,  Mechanization  and  Quality  improved  training  programmes, Extension Advisory Services, etc.  The year-wise details of assistance provided under both the schemes as reported by Spices Board  are at Annexure-II.

(e): The  DASD  has  reported  that  Cardamom  production  in  the  country  has  declined  in 2018-19 and 2019-20 due to the unprecedented flood and subsequent prolonged dry spell experienced in the major Cardamom growing regions in the country, especially in the States of Kerala and Karnataka.  Idukki, Wayanad, Palakkad and Kottayam Districts of Kerala and Kodagu, Hassan, Madigeri, Chickmagalure, Shimoga Districts of Karnataka were among the worst affected districts.

Further, Cardamom is a highly climate sensitive and location specific crop. Pest and disease incidence is also very high in Cardamom. Cardamom is grown mainly in high altitude areas and hence the scope for area expansion is limited.

(f): DASD has reported that the Spices Board is encouraging farmers for area expansion of  Cardamom  in  non-traditional  areas.  Large  Cardamom  has  been  cultivated  in  nontraditional  areas  like  Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur with much more efforts of the Board. New extension offices have been opened in North-East to assist the farmers. More emphasis  is  given  to  produce  certified  Cardamom  seedling  in  flood  affected  areas  of Cardamom  belt  of  Karnataka.  Rejuvenation  scheme  is  implemented  in  the  flood  affected Cardamom growing areas of Kerala and Karnataka.

It is further reported that every year, the Spices Board is giving award with cash prize (Rs 1 lakh for first prize and Rs 50000 for second prize) and citation to the best Cardamom farmers to  encourage the farmers in  the field.  Last  year  the  Large  Cardamom  productivity award was won by a lady farmer from the border district of Arunachal Pradesh. Due to the efforts by the Spices Board for area expansion in NE region, large areas in the border district of Arunachal Pradesh has been brought under Large Cardamom cultivation.

## State-wise Area and Production of Cardamom

A: Area in '000 Ha

P: Production in '000 Tonnes

2019-20

| Sl. No.     | STATES      | 2016-17   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | 2017-18     | 2018-19   | 2018-19   | 2019-20 (3rd Adv.Est.)   | 2019-20 (3rd Adv.Est.)   |
|-------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-------------|-----------|-----------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
|             | A           |           | P         | A         | P           | A         | P         | A                        | P                        |
| 1 KERALA    | 38.00       | 18.00     | 39.08     |           | 18.35 38.88 | 11.54     | 39.70     |                          | 10.08                    |
| 2 SIKKIM    | 18.00       | 5.00      |           | 18.00     | 5.00        | 21.80     | 5.23      | 23.31                    | 4.78                     |
| 3 NAGALAND  | 4.05        | 2.02      | 3.62      | 2.02      | 4.09        | 2.30      |           | 4.09                     | 2.31                     |
| 4 PRADESH   |             |           |           |           |             | 7.41      | 1.87      | 10.91                    | 1.61                     |
| 5 WEST      | BENGAL 2.96 | 0.76      |           | 2.96      | 0.76        | 3.31      | 1.07      | 3.31                     | 1.09                     |
| 6 TAMIL     | NADU 4.01   | 0.35      | 3.86      |           | 0.35        | 3.82      | 0.35      | 3.79                     | 0.35                     |
| 7 KARNATAKA | 17.66       | 1.53      |           | 16.68     | 1.76        | 1.80      | 0.21      | 1.77                     | 0.21                     |
| 8 MANIPUR   |             |           |           |           |             |           |           | 0.15                     | 0.0043                   |
|             | TOTAL       | 84.68     | 27.66     | 84.20     | 28.24       | 81.11     | 22.57     | 87.02                    | 20.42                    |

## Annexure-I

Annexure-II

## Finacial Assitance provided by Spices Board under  Small and Large Cardomom Schemes

Small Cardamom (Kerala, Karnataka & Tamil Nadu)

| Year    |   Subsidy disbursed (Rs. in lakh) |   Total number of farmers benefited |
|---------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                            123.54 |                                 964 |
| 2018-19 |                            321.37 |                                2327 |
| 2019-20 |                            628.93 |                                4353 |
| Total   |                           1073.84 |                                7644 |

Large Cardamom (Sikkim, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland & Manipur)

| Year    |   Subsidy disbursed (Rs. In lakh) |   Total number of farmers benefited |
|---------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                           173.75  |                                2746 |
| 2018-19 |                           431.94  |                                6011 |
| 2019-20 |                           655.259 |                                6619 |
| Total   |                          1260.95  |                               15376 |

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