Spices Boardt

LARGE CARDAMOM

Large Cardamom is mainly grown in the Sub-Himalayan tracts of Sikkim and Darjeeling district of West Bengal.

Board implements the following programmes to promote Large Cardamom production:

Production and supply of quality planting materials

	Certified Nursery Scheme:
	Board supports raising of nurseries in farmers’ field by offering a grant-in-aid of Rs.10,000/- per nursery producing 10,000 suckers.

	Replanting Scheme:
	The scheme is intended to encourage growers to take up replantation of senile and uneconomic gardens. A subsidy of Rs.6,000/- per ha. is offered to the growers.

	Supply of Sprinkler Irrigation Units:
	To tide over drought situations during summer, Board assists growers in procuring and installing sprinkler units and accessories by providing 50% of the cost as subsidy with a ceiling of Rs.2500/- per set.

	Low Cost Driers:
	In order to improve the quality of the cured large cardamom, Board helps the growers to replace their traditional Bhatty curing system with improved driers by providing a subsidy of Rs.10,000/- per drier.

Processing
	The conventionally cured cardamom does not fetch the right price because of unscientific processing and packaging. In order to overcome this situation, Board proposes to assist growers in setting up their own processing/powdering/packaging units by providing assistance to the tune of 50% of the cost subject to a maximum of Rs.50, 000/- per unit.