| Karnataka has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) to set up an agri export zone (AEZ) for Vanilla entailing an investment of Rs 2.56 crore.
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| As per the MoU, Apeda will assist the state government in supplying quality planting material, plant protection and post harvest handling, training on vanilla cultivation, micro irrigation, processing units. It will also help the state government in setting up quality control labs and imparting organic farming techniques.
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| Six districts - Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga, Kodagu and Chickamagalur have been selected for the AEZ.
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| With this AEZ in place, the state targets to increase vanilla cultivation from current 1,081 hectare to 1,500 hectare by 2010 and Currently, total estimated area under vanilla cultivation in the country is around 1,800 hectare and production around 65 tonne. The crop is widely grown in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
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| For the AEZ, the central government, state government and Spices Board, Kochi have been roped in.
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| Being a capital and labour intensive crop the average size of vanilla garden is only 1.5 acre.
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| With the implementation of AEZ, 2,500 families are expected to get the benefit directly, said Apeda chairman K S Money. In addition to this, the cultivation of vanilla in 100 hectare will also generate about 30 per cent employment indirectly through associated activities in the rural areas, he added.
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| According to G K Vasanth Kumar, director of horticulture, Karnataka, vanilla has emerged as an important crop in the coastal and mainland districts and south Karnataka districts. But due to non availability of government assistance and falling prices, vanilla is cultivated mainly by the big farmers.
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| “Now with the AEZ in place, issues like lack of appropriate technology for growing and processing, market information, research will reach the small and marginal farmers,” he added.
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| The horticulture department is also promoting vanilla as an alternative or companion crop with arecanut, coconut and coffee, he added. |
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