Plantation crops: Kerala to set up modern warehouses for stocking yield

New Delhi: The plantation farmers of the state are often forced to sell their produce at a low price as they have no means to store them and as prices fall soon after harvest. To mitigate this, the state government is planning to set up a modern warehouse for the storage of plantation crops.

Farmers will be able to preserve cashews, tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom, and black pepper during the off-season without spoilage. The Kerala Plantation Directorate has included the warehouse idea in the action plans to be implemented in the year 2023-24. The location is yet to be finalized. 

Along with this, the main projects that the directorate of plantation is going to implement in the coming years are the conservation of water and biodiversity, conservation of plantation crops by maintaining diversity, subsidies, modernisation of plantation factories, agriculture-skill training for plantation workers and introduction of the ‘Kerala brand' to the international market. A budget of Rs 2 crore has been set aside for this.

There are 717 plantations in Kerala. In 2021, the state government formed the plantation directorate with the aim of promoting the welfare of workers, maintaining the diversity of plantation crops, and promoting the 'Kerala brand' on a global scale. At present, a plantation labour committee has been established. A study is being conducted on the subject along with IIM, Kozhikode