The Hindu Business Line : Vanilla growers seek promotion council

VANILLA growers from South India, at the co-ordination meeting organised by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) on Friday, suggested that a promotion council and inspecting agencies be formed for marketing Indian varieties of vanilla.

Mr M.B. Sadashiva, vanilla grower from Sullia of Dakshina Kannada district, said a promotion council would help market the Indian variety, which has high vanillin content compared to the varieties from other countries. An inspection committee to check the quality of vanilla was also needed, he said, adding that certain Indian products were rejected in the international market due to poor quality.

Special economic zones should give full tax exemption on agriculture produce, including vanilla. Mr Sadashiva suggested that growers set up their own pool of funds and not depend on the Government for aid.

The former President of the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative (Campco) Ltd, Mr B. Nagaraja Shetty, who inaugurated the growers' meet, said that vanilla growers should set up a co-operative unit to process and market their produce.

This will prevent competition among growers. He added that exploitation of Indian growers in the international market could also be prevented.

Mr C. Gopinath, Chief Executive of Indian Spice Associates Agri Flora, Koppa, who spoke on vanilla trading, said the production and consumption gap was responsible for the vanilla crisis.

He said production of vanilla was above average only in Tonga, Uganda and China, adding that per hectare production in these countries was 500 kg. Mr Gopinath said China might pose a challenge to India.