Scientific storage and warehousing
is necessary to store the spices for a
longer period under hygienic conditions.
This also helps the farmers to insulate
themselves from the adverse impacts of
the seasonal price fluctuations. Since
ginger and turmeric are seasonal crops,
the market will be offered large quantities
during the harvesting season and farmers
are forced to sell at very low prices.
If scientific warehousing and cold storage
facilities are available, the farmers
could store the produce and sell them
during off season at a much better price.
This will also make available the produce
round the year. Since spices are grown
by small and marginal farmers, they cannot
afford to have such infrastructural facilities
on their own.
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Keeping this in view, Spices
Board supported setting up of two warehouse
cum cold storage in Assam and Mizoram
during IX Plan with the help of State
Agricultural Marketing Board / Horticultural
Department. These two warehouses are under
construction. During the Xth Plan, the
Board proposes to assist setting up of
4 more cold storages with a total capacity
of 3000 tons at a financial outlay of
Rs. 450 lakhs, @ Rs. 112.50 lakhs per
one cold storage. Spices Board will bear
75% of the cost as subsidy. The balance
25% has to be contributed by local stake
holders – the State Government agencies
or farmer groups. Administrative and recurring
costs should be the responsibility of
the local promoter partner and should
be recovered through levy of user charges.
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The cold storage should
have a minimum capacity of 750 ton and
there should be required warehousing/stocking
facility for a minimum of 250 tons. The
estimated cost and rate of subsidy are
as follows:-
|
Sl.No. |
Warehouse
cum cold storage |
Estimated
cost
(Rs. in lakhs) |
Maximum
subsidy
(Rs. in lakhs) |
1. |
With 750 ton
capacity (500 ton capacity of cold
storage and 250 ton capacity of warehouse |
150.00 |
112.50 |
|
| The amount of subsidy
will be released in instalments on a reimbursement
basis as follows:- |
| Warehouse cum
cold storage |
| » |
1st
installment of 25% on completion of
site development and construction
reaching plinth level and expenditure
incurred exceeding 25% of the estimated
project cost. |
| » |
2nd installment
of 25% when the construction reaches
roof level and the cumulative total
expenditure exceeds 50% of the estimated
project cost. |
| » |
3rd installment
of 40% after receipt of machinery
at site and when the total cumulative
expenditure exceeds 90% of the estimated
cost. |
| » |
4th installment
i.e. balance 10% after commissioning
and trial running. The total grant
will be limited to 75% of the actual
cost of implementing the project or
75% of the estimated cost, whichever
is less. |
|
| |
| Eligibility |
The subsidy facility is
available to the State Agricultural Market
Committees, Agricultural Marketing Boards,
Agro Industries Corporation, Agri / Hort
Departments or Registered farmers’
groups in any of the NE States.
|
Applications in the prescribed
form have to be submitted to the Spices
Board. On receipt of the application,
Board may consider the application on
the basis of the necessity, feasibility
and capability of the agency to undertake
the programme and thereafter require the
agency to submit Detailed Project Report
(DPR), Plan and estimate, specifications
etc. approved by an Engineer not below
the rank of an Executive Engineer of the
State/Central Warehousing Corporation/
State or Central PWD. Board may stipulate
other terms and conditions and require
the agency to execute an MOU before issuing
permit orders.
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