Kochi-based Spices Board goes to remote Assam for organic farming

Kochi-based Spices Board today launched a new initiative in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam that would encourage farmers to start organic cultivation of spices like turmeric, ginger and chilli on a large scale.

Guwahati, June 24 : Kochi-based Spices Board today launched a new initiative in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam that would encourage farmers to start organic cultivation of spices like turmeric, ginger and chilli on a large scale.

Launching the initiative of the Board, Union Minister of State for Commerce, Jairam Ramesh said that the Government is committed to focus on the northeast States, particularly in the area of organic spices, which command a premium in world markets, and in which the northeastern states have a natural competitive advantage.

Two companies---Coinonya Farms Producers Company Limited for turmeric and Karbi Farms Producer Company Limited for ginger and chilli-- have also been set up as producers' companies under the new provision in the Companies Act that give primary producers' the flexibility to organize themselves as a normal company but on the basis of a one man-one vote principle, which is the essence of a cooperative institution.

Producers' Company combines the economic advantage of a corporate entity with the social benefits of a cooperative and the provision of it was introduced into the 2003 amendment of the 1956 Companies Act.

The new two companies, where the Spices Board owns 49 percent stake will initially have a plantation area of 1000 hectares that will be cultivated over a five-year period.

MOUs are being signed with private companies for processing and marketing.

ANI