Spice Board's vintage recipe in ginger hub

Hamren (Karbi Anglong), Jun 25: The unkempt spicy meadows of Karbi Anglong in Asom, which accounts for one of world's best ginger produce, is all set for a turnaround.

The Spices Board has come up with an initiative to empower the spice growers, NGOs and cooperatives to venture into processing units professionally to execute export-oriented production.

The Board proposes to take the risk involved in the cultivation, its processing and export of spices, thereby empowering the farmers particularly the tribals of the North East to enter the mainstream and involve in value addition of their farm produce.

So far two farms have been set up as producers' companies to give primary producers flexibility in organising themselves as a normal company but on the basis of a one man-one vote principal.

About 600 farmers own 51 per cent of the Coinanya Farms Producer Company Limited located at Paroli, while another 400 own an equivalent share of the Karbi Farms Producer Company Limited.

As per the scheme, each company would initially have a plantation area of 500 hectares to cultivate for over five years period.

Coinanya Farms have opted for organic cultivation of turmeric, while the Karbi Farms would be growing ginger and chilli.

The Spices Board owns 49 per cent of each company and its equity stake in Rs 1 crore in each company.

Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh yesterday handed over the first installment of equity participation of Rs 33.33 lakh each to both the companies.

Highlighting the social and economic significance of the project, Mr Ramesh reiterated his commitment to giving a special and vastly expanded Northeast focus to the Kochi-based Spices Board, particularly in the area of organic spices which command a premium in world markets.

''The North East accounts for over 50 per cent of the country's ginger production, besides having a natural competitive advantage in the production of the turmeric, black pepper, chilli and large cardamon, but the region has failed to the reap the export benefits due to lack of value addition,'' he said.

Stating that the contribution of NE to India's spice exports is very small, the minister informed that cold storage facilities are being set up at various places of the region, and subsidies in air freights announced to boost horticulture in the region.

The two companies set up at Karbi Anglong has entered into an MoU with North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi) vide which the latter would purchase shares of the companies based on the progress made by the company in the cultivation of spices and it's processing.

As per an understanding, the Cochin-based Arjuna Natural Extracts would be buying the semi-processed turmeric extracts for marketing and export.

The Cochin-based company is expected to set up processing units in Karbi Anglong shortly and train personnel for extraction of the produce.

UNI