The total production of plantation crops during 2005-06
was around 10.39 million metric tonnes from an area of 3.11 million hectares.
India is the largest producer and consumer of cashewnuts. During 2006-07,
plantation crops contributed 6.5 per cent of total horticulture production.
The performance of various plantation crops is as follows:-
1. Tea: The production of tea started recovering
from stagnation from 2002-03 and since then a positive growth in production
has been maintained. The Government has set up a Special Purpose Tea Fund
for funding replantation and rejuvenation activities aimed at improving
the age profile of tea plantations. The scheme has been approved for implementation
till the end of the Eleventh Five Year Plan with an estimated outlay of
Rs. 567.1 crore (subsidy of Rs. 476.1 crore and Rs. 91.0 crore towards
capital contribution) to be provided by the Government. The estimated
area to be taken up for replantation/rejuvenation during the period would
be 85,044 ha, comprising replantation in 68,154 ha and rejuvenation in
16,890 ha. All these seeks to improve not only yield levels but also improve
the quality to fetch better returns. Further, a rehabilitation package
providing financial relief to the extent of Rs. 38.65 crore for 33 closed
tea gardens was announced on June 29, 2007. 10 of these gardens have since
opened.
|
Year |
Production |
Exports |
Imports |
Domestic Consumption (b) |
|
|
Quantity |
Quantity |
Value |
Quantity |
Value |
Quantity |
|
| 2002-03 |
845.97 |
184.4 |
1665.04 |
22.49 |
105.32 |
693 |
|
| 2003-04 |
878.65 |
183.07 |
1636.99 |
11.34 |
66.23 |
714 |
|
| 2004-05 |
906.84 |
205.81 |
1924.71 |
32.53 |
145.15 |
735 |
|
| 2005-06 |
948.94 |
196.67 |
1793.58 |
17.41 |
102.77 |
757 |
|
| 2006-07 |
947.12 |
218.15 |
2045.72 |
20.78 |
110.88 |
771 |
|
| 2007-08 (a) |
805.18 |
100.87 |
998.68 |
11.80 |
76.16 |
N.A. |
|
|
(Apr-Nov) |
(Apr-Nov) |
(Apr-Nov) |
(Apr-Nov) |
(Apr-Nov) |
|
Quantity: in million kg; Value: in Rs. crore
(a) - Estimated; (b) - Relates to calendar year; N.A.
- Not Available
(Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industy)
2. Coffee: The production of coffee has not yet come
out of the stagnation phase, notwithstanding a marginal increase from
2.7 lakh tonnes in 2005-06 to 2.9 lakh tonnes in 2006-07. Although India
contributes only 4 per cent of total world production, Indian coffee has
created a niche for itself in the international market, particularly Indian
Robustas, which are highly preferred for their blending quality. Arabica
coffee from India is also well received in the international market. To
mitigate the problems of coffee growers arising from the low prices of
coffee, a series of steps have been taken including restructuring of loans
and interest relief to coffee growers (a subsidy of 5 per cent for small
growers and 3 per cent for large growers is available on their working
capital loans taken from the financial institutions). Import duty on specified
machinery for coffee sector has been reduced to enable the industry to
improve productivity and quality of coffee. Weather (rainfall) insurance
as a risk management support for coffee growers in collaboration with
Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited is also implemented.
|
Year |
Production |
Exports |
Domestic Consumption |
|
|
(lakh tonnes) |
(lakh tonnes) |
(Rs. crore) |
(US$ million) |
(lakh tonnes) |
|
| 2000-01 |
3.01 |
2.47 |
1374 |
243 |
0.60 |
|
| 2001-02 |
3.01 |
2.14 |
1050 |
216 |
0.64 |
|
| 2002-03 |
2.75 |
2.07 |
1051 |
234 |
0.68 |
|
| 2003-04 |
2.71 |
2.33 |
1158 |
262 |
0.70 |
|
| 2004-05 |
2.76 |
2.12 |
1225 |
295 |
0.75 |
|
| 2005-06 |
2.74 |
2.02 |
1510 |
353 |
0.80 |
|
| 2006-07 |
2.88 |
2.49 |
1016 |
453 |
0.80 |
|
| 2007-08 (a) |
2.62 |
1.2 |
1062 |
253 |
0.85 |
(a) - Estimated
(Source: Economic Survey 2007-08)
3. Natural Rubber: India is the fourth largest producer
of natural rubber (NR) with a share of 8.8 per cent in world production
in 2006. The area under NR plantation increased by about 8 per cent from
5.7 lakh ha from 2002-03 to 6.2 lakh ha in 2006-07. During this period,
the production of NR increased by 31 per cent. Productivity reached the
highest level of 1,879 kg/ ha which was also the highest among major NR
producing countries in 2006. During 2006-07, the country exported 56,545
tonnes of NR against an import of 89,699 tonnes. Export of NR is perceived
as a strategy to adjust domestic demand-supply balance and to educate
the growers on the need to process the produce in conformity with the
international standards.
|
Year |
Area |
Production |
Productivity |
Export |
Imports |
Consumption |
|
|
(ha) |
(tonnes) |
(Kg/ha) |
(tonnes) |
(tonnes) |
(tonnes) |
|
| 2002-03 |
569667 |
649435 |
1592 |
55,311 |
26,217 |
695425 |
|
| 2003-04 |
575980 |
711650 |
1663 |
75,905 |
44,199 |
719600 |
|
| 2004-05 |
584090 |
749665 |
1705 |
46,150 |
72,835 |
755405 |
|
| 2005-06 |
597610 |
802625 |
1796 |
73,830 |
45,285 |
801110 |
|
| 2006-07 (a) |
615200 |
852895 |
1879 |
56,545 |
89,699 |
820305 |
|
| 2007-08 (b) |
630000 |
819000 |
1784 |
- |
- |
857000 |
(a) - Provisional; (b) - Estimated
(Source: Economic Survey 2007-08)
