Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Friday, Apr 25, 2003
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Friday, Apr 25, 2003 |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Agricultural Policy Industry & Economy - Exports & Imports TN plans Agri export zones for cashew, banana Our Bureau
CHENNAI, April 24 THE Tamil Nadu Government plans to set up agri export zones for cashew and banana as a part of the eight agri export zones that are under consideration, according to the Agriculture Minister, Mr R. Jeevanantham. Moving the demand for grants to agriculture for 2003-04 in the Assembly today, he said the agri export zone for cashew would come up at Virudhachalam and for banana in Tiruchi. The State Government was focussing on horticulture development through a mission mode approach, and a horticulture policy was on the anvil. More agri export zones are planned including those for turmeric in Erode, onion in Coimbatore and medicinal plants at Tuticorin. At Dharmapuri over 1000 acres of farmers' fields would be brought under intensive horticulture cultivation with Israeli technology these would serve as models for further development, he said. The development mission for horticulture crops would include those for mangoes, banana, vegetables, cashew, flowers and medicinal plants. Mango is cultivated in 1.11 lakh hectares with an output of 4.39 lakh tonnes. A target of 8 tonnes per hectare productivity is fixed for the next three years against the current productivity of 3.96 tonnes. Productivity targets for banana have been fixed at 50 tonnes per hectare against the existing 42 tonnes and for cashew 800 kg per hectare against existing 420 kg. The productivity of vegetables and flowers would also be increased through the mission mode approach. Horticulture development would be dovetailed with the comprehensive wasteland development programme. Intervening during the debate, the Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, said that the wasteland development programme includes two components. These were a participatory watershed development of wastelands in the farmers' holdings and development of Government wastelands with corporate sector participation. Small farmers had an option to participate by forming self-help groups and federations of such self-help groups. Such groups would be considered for allotment of 8 hectares under the programme, she said. Over 224 applications have been received from the corporate sector and 1373 from small companies and cooperatives for projects to develop the Government wastelands. These are under consideration. Under the participatory wasteland development over 21,304 hectares out of the targeted 55,000 hectares in 10 districts have been planted with 23.16 lakh saplings of horticulture crops, jatropha, paradise tree, bamboo and casuarina. The Government has sanctioned Rs 25 crore in the current year and a subsidy of Rs 8,500 per hectare is being extended to the farmers, she said. According to the policy note on agriculture for 2003-04, a third component includes reclamation of salt and affected lands in a phased manner. The total cost of the project is estimated Rs 1,630 crore. A concept paper has been prepared and posed for external agency support from the World Bank.
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