Plantations play integral role in South's economy
According to the United Planters' Association of South India plantation in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka together account for almost a quarter of the total tea output and nearly the entire production of coffee, rubber and spices in the country.
By PTI |
COIMBATORE: Plantations form an integral part of South India's economy, accounting for 68 per cent of the total 15.6 lakh hectares of land under occupation of plants like rubber, coffee, tea, spices etc in India.
According to the United Planters' Association of South India (UPASI), plantation of rubber, coffee, spices in Kerala, tea in Tamil Nadu and coffee in Karnataka together account for almost a quarter of the total tea output and nearly the entire production of coffee, rubber and spices in the country.
Though South India accounted for less than one-fourth of the country's tea production, it contributes nearly 50 per cent towards its export, UPASI said.
Importance of plantations in South India can be gauged from the fact that it occupies about 68 per cent of the total 15.6 lakh hectares under plantation, marginally less than one per cent of the total cropped area in the country, it added.
Total value of the plantation commodities in 2006-07 was estimated at Rs 18,000 crore, which accounted for nearly two per cent of India's total agricultural GDP. Export realisation was estimated at Rs 4,700 crore, accounting for nearly 9 per cent of the total agricultural and allied products.
South India's share in the total value was estimated at 67 per cent, while in the export value it was at 76 per cent.
Of around 13.7 lakh growers and 22.5 lakh labourers, involved in plantation activities in India, nearly 87 per cent of growers and 57 per cent of labourers were from the South.
About 11.9 lakh growers of the region, most of them small, provide permanent employment to nearly 12.8 lakh labourers, thus corroborating the sector's role in the development of underdeveloped regions in India, where these crops were grown, UPASI said.
The relative importance of the plantation sector, vis-a-vis other sub-sectors in agriculture was evident, as its share in agricultural GDP was more than two times the share in the gross cropped area.
Rubber occupies 525,441 hectares, 89.96 per cent of total 584,500 hectares of land under its cultivation in India and produces about 828 mn tonnes, 97.10 per cent of 852 mn tonnes, and is valued at Rs 7657 crore, 97.11 per cent of Rs.7885 crore.
According to the United Planters' Association of South India (UPASI), plantation of rubber, coffee, spices in Kerala, tea in Tamil Nadu and coffee in Karnataka together account for almost a quarter of the total tea output and nearly the entire production of coffee, rubber and spices in the country.
Though South India accounted for less than one-fourth of the country's tea production, it contributes nearly 50 per cent towards its export, UPASI said.
Importance of plantations in South India can be gauged from the fact that it occupies about 68 per cent of the total 15.6 lakh hectares under plantation, marginally less than one per cent of the total cropped area in the country, it added.
Total value of the plantation commodities in 2006-07 was estimated at Rs 18,000 crore, which accounted for nearly two per cent of India's total agricultural GDP. Export realisation was estimated at Rs 4,700 crore, accounting for nearly 9 per cent of the total agricultural and allied products.
South India's share in the total value was estimated at 67 per cent, while in the export value it was at 76 per cent.
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Of around 13.7 lakh growers and 22.5 lakh labourers, involved in plantation activities in India, nearly 87 per cent of growers and 57 per cent of labourers were from the South.
About 11.9 lakh growers of the region, most of them small, provide permanent employment to nearly 12.8 lakh labourers, thus corroborating the sector's role in the development of underdeveloped regions in India, where these crops were grown, UPASI said.
The relative importance of the plantation sector, vis-a-vis other sub-sectors in agriculture was evident, as its share in agricultural GDP was more than two times the share in the gross cropped area.
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Of the 5,21,500 hectares of area under of tea cultivation, South occupies 115,285 hectares, 22.11 per cent, producing 222 million (mn) kgs, 23.54 per cent of total 944 mn kgs produced in the country. It is valued at Rs 1,347 crore, or 19.35 per cent, of the cumulative Rs 6,962 crore.Rubber occupies 525,441 hectares, 89.96 per cent of total 584,500 hectares of land under its cultivation in India and produces about 828 mn tonnes, 97.10 per cent of 852 mn tonnes, and is valued at Rs 7657 crore, 97.11 per cent of Rs.7885 crore.
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