The Union government will introduce a separate insurance package for the plantation sector, said Jairam Ramesh, minister for state for commerce and industries. | |
| Addressing a work shop on 'Evolving an Export strategy for Kerala - Role of Export Promotion Councils', he said the package, which primarily aims at revival of plantation sector, would be on track by next year. |
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| A high level committee, comprising four experts is studying the various aspects of the scheme and will submit a report to the commerce ministry by October, 2006. |
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| He said the government had aimed at providing price stabilization and smoothening of plantation sector crops through the insurance package. Under the ministry of commerce, there is already a price stabilization trust fund, which is not sufficient to the sector's requirements. |
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| The maximum benefit a grower gets through the fund is Rs 1,000, hence the government is planning a wholesome insurance scheme for the plantation sector. |
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| He added that the ministry had adopted a four pronged strategy for the revival of the sector and the core areas are investment, marketing, price stabilization and research and technology. |
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| The government has constituted a special purpose tea fund in order to rejuvenate and re-planting tea plantations. Rs 4,500 crore has been earmarked for the purpose and 20 -25 percent of the fund will be invested in Kerala. There is also a scheme to promote hybrid varieties in coffee plantations. The hybrid variety coffee will be planted in 90,000 hectre as part of the new scheme. |
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| Under the scheme to rejuvenate pepper plantations of the country, 50,000 hectre will be re-planted in the coming years. The minister has urged the state government to submit detailed proposals in order to avail funds through this scheme. |
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| The absence of world class laboratories is a big problem to plantation sector and in order to overcome the deficiency the government will upgrade various laboratories of the country. |
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