Lok Sabha Question No. 2368 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-14
Subject: Production of Pepper
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2368 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 TH  DECEMBER, 2015

## PRODUCTION OF PEPPER

## 2368. SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- a) the  details  of  pepper  production  in  the  country  during  the  last  three  years  and  the current year, State/UT and year-wise;
- b) whether there is a decline in the production of pepper during the said period;
- c) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor; and
- d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase the production of pepper?

## ANSWER

वाणिज् य एवं उद्योग राज् य मंत्री )णीमीी स मलमा नीीारमि((स्वींत्र प्रभार ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

(a): The State wise estimated (Trade estimate) production of pepper in India during the last three years and current year is given below:

(Production in MT)

| Major States             |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 (P) |
|--------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------------|
| KARNATAKA                |     26000 |     16000 |     33000 |         20000 |
| KERALA                   |     25000 |     18000 |     20000 |         20000 |
| TAMIL NADU               |      7000 |      1000 |      7000 |          8000 |
| Total (including others) |     65000 |     37000 |     65000 |         53000 |

(P) Projected

(b): The production of pepper in India during the period from 2012-13 to 2015-16 shows a fluctuating trend. Pepper production has declined from 65,000 MT to 37,000 MT in 2013-14. However, the production has increased  to  65,000  MT  in  2014-15.  Based  on  the  present  prevailing  climatic  conditions,  the  projected estimate of pepper production for the year 2015-16 is 53,000 MT, showing a decrease of 18.5% as compared to last year.

- (c):  The  major  reason  for  the  fluctuation  in  production  of  Pepper  is  the  unfavourable  climatic conditions prevailing in the growing tracts during the flowering/berry setting period. The production of pepper is mainly dependent on the rainfall pattern.

(d):  Several  programmes for development and production of spices including pepper such as area expansion,  Integrated  Pest  Management  (IPM)/Integrated  Nutrient  Management  (INM),  organic farming,  creation  of  water  resources,  micro  irrigation,    post-harvest  management,  development  of market  yards,  Human  Resource  Development  etc.  are  implemented  through  State  Horticulture Mission under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) of Government of India. Government implements through the Spices Board various export development, post-harvest and quality improvement programmes for spices including pepper. Spices Board has also setup six quality  evaluation  labs  for  evaluating  the  quality  of  the  spices  to  be  exported.  The  National Horticulture Mission (NHM) implemented by the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development (DASD)  includes  programmes  on  production  of  quality  planting  materials  of  black  pepper, technology  dissemination  through  frontline  demonstration  of  organic  cultivation  and  conduct  of seminars/workshops  through  various  State  Agricultural  University  centers  and  Indian  Council  of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes in pepper growing states in the country.

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