Parliament Question: Clean Planting Material for Plantation Crops

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2738 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04TH AUGUST, 2026 CLEAN PLANTING MATERIAL FOR PLANTATION CROPS 2738. SHRI. CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण मं(cid:287)ी be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has reviewed clean planting material for plantation crops and the present scientific, scheme and field status and if so, the details thereof, district-wise for Karnataka including Dakshina Kannada; (b) the details of the area, farmers, funds, facilities, demonstrations and measurable outcomes during the last three years; (c) the details of the unit-cost, diagnostic, extension, input-supply and implementation gaps; and (d) the specific details of the decision and timeline for a scientifically aligned, adequately funded intervention? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR) (a): Government is implementing various schemes to ensure availability of quality planting material for crops through Government farms, nurseries and other approved/registered sources wherein planting materials are produced and supplied to the farmers. Quality planting material in coconut is also promoted through production and distribution of quality seedlings under Coconut Development Board (CDB) schemes. Under the scheme, during the past 3 years, a total of 1.67 lakh seedlings have been produced in the coconutdemonstration cum seed production farms and 1.57 lakh quality planting material has been developed in the State departmental nurseries, nurseries of SAUs/ PSUs/ KVKs and DSP Farms of Coconut Development Board. During the current year, 2026-27, a total of ₹33.8 lakh is allocated under the scheme for production of 1.69 lakh seedlings in Karnataka. Under the scheme, an amount of ₹10.91 lakh has been utilized for establishing 7 small coconut nurseries during the last 3 years and of which 1 nursery has been established in Dakshina Kannada with a capacity of 6250 coconut seedlings. In addition, the ICAR-CPCRI has licensed improved varieties and hybrids to government organization and few private nurseries to strengthen the production and supply of quality planting material of improved varieties/hybrids. As of now, 12 varieties of coconut, 06 in arecanut and 01 in cocoa have been licensed. District-wise details of the planting material of coconut, areacnut, cashew, cocoa, rubber, cardamom and pepper available in the departmental farms in the State of Karnataka during 2026-27 is given at Annexure I. (b): Adoption of quality planting material has facilitated expansion of crop area, enhanced production and productivity, and increased adoption of scientific cultivation practices among arecanut and coconut growers. The details of area covered, number of farmers benefited, funds utilized, infrastructure and facilities established, demonstrations conducted for various crops such as coconut, areacnut, cashew, cocoa, rubber, cardamom and pepper are given in Annexure-II. (c): In Karnataka, financial assistance of ₹1,500 per hectare per beneficiary, limited to a maximum of 2 hectares, is being provided towards disease management measures as per the Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)/Integrated Pest Management (IPM) component of the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) to mitigate the Arecanut Leaf Spot Disease. Detailed MIDH Operational Guidelines alongwith cost norms of various components are available on MIDH web portal i.e. www.midh.gov.in Extension activities such as farmer awareness programmes, field visits, demonstrations, farmer training and dissemination of recommended disease-management practices are undertaken through the departmental field functionaries. During the last three years a total of 101 extension activities and trainings have been conducted by the department.Further, diagnostic and technical support is provided through the departmental and concerned technical institutions such as Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI), Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences. Further, The ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) is undertaking research, technology development, extension and capacity building for sustainable plantation crop development. ICAR-CPCRI produces about 01 lakh coconut, 02 lakh arecanut and 0.5 lakh cocoa seedlings. In addition, about 05 lakh areca seed nuts and 15000 seedpods of cocoa have been distributed to farmers. The institute distributes these seedlings to the plantation crop-growing states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and North Eastern states. During the last three years, 2,30,000/- coconut seedlings, 5,30,000/- arecanut seedlings and 1,34,282 cocoa seedlings/ grafts were supplied to farmers in Karnataka. (d): Government is implementing the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for holistic development of the horticulture sector in the country. Under MIDH, assistance is provided on the basis of Annual Action Plans (AAPs) received from the States/UTs. The AAPs are prepared by the States/UTs in accordance with their assessed requirements, existing infrastructure, priority areas and availability of resources. During 2026-27, an amount of Rs. 90.00 crore (Government of India share) has been allocated to the State under MIDH for implementing activities related to horticulture development.Annexure I District-wise details of the planting material of crops available in the departmental farms in the State of Karnataka during 2026-27 are as under: Plantation crops Planting Material availability (Nos) Name of the Other District Coconut Areca nut Cashew Cocoa Rubber Cardamom Pepper plantation crops Chikkamagalur 29342 43898 - - - 7000 33681 - Chitradurga - 15000 - - - - - - D. Kannada - 32538 - 16285 - - 52787 - Davanagere 48000 243500 - 2000 - - 15000 - Gadag 6604 - - - - - - - Hassan 43144 38590 - - - - 160000 - - - - - - - 11,40000 - Kodagu cuttings Kolar 2315 - - - - - - - Mandya 2000 142088 - - - - - - Mysore - 30729 - - - - 5000 - Ramanagara 41737 66442 - - - - 9000 - Shivamogga - 10000 - 3800 - 8000 23000 10000 Tumkur - 73867 - - - 2000 - - Udupi 1180 41917 - 1005 - - 40251 1010 U. Kannada 12016 164671 49461 - - 13893 207693 51179 Vijayapura 18000 - - - - - - - Vijayanagara 13268 - - - - - - -Annexure II The details of area covered, number of farmers benefited, funds utilized, infrastructure and facilities established, demonstrations conducted are as under: Area No. of Name of the Demonstrations Farmers Funds Utilized Covered Facilities District Conducted Benefitted (Rs. In Lakhs) (in Ha) Created Bagalkote - 896.83 618 250.07 618 Belagavi - 52.24 59 12.97 59 Chamarajanagara - 24.41 46 1.87 46 Chikkaballapura - 73.18 101 48.25 101 Chitradurga 28 1312.75 1894 119.1 1894 Dakshina Kannada 55 184.2 437 36.84 437 Davanagere - 2508.4 4194 1461.21 4194 Gadag - 332.2 570 257.395 570 Hassan 92 27134.48 48288 11610.01 48288 Haveri - 5835.55 4504 3504.55 4504 Kodagu 6 3329.12 5220 1377.91 5220 Kolar - 234.4 306 192.9 306 Mandya - 11292.64 18575 1958.83 18575 Mysore - 2896.13 4463 506.92 4463 Ramanagara 22 6520 9383 1141.24 9383 Shivamogga - 1474.31 3399 2027.64 3399 Tumkur - 3713.2 5438 2242.16 5438 Udupi - 3713.01 7315 1049.17 7315 Yadgiri - 195.17 76 56.59 76 Total 203 71722.22 114886 27855.625 114886 *******