1.1 Production and distribution of nucleus planting materials of spices
The MIDH programmes on spices implemented in different states such as area expansion, replanting, rejuvenation etc. requires sizeable quantity of quality planting materials of the respective spice crops. In order to meet the requirement of various planting materials for the development programmes, small nurseries are proposed to be established in the selected locations on the identified spices and aromatic crops. Quite a good number of varieties of various spices and aromatic crops have been evolved from various Research Centres. However, adequate quantities of planting materials of these varieties are not supplied to the State Departments for large scale multiplication and distribution to the farmers, even after the long period of their releases, due to lack of sufficient infrastructure and funds available at the crop improvement centres. As a result, the planting material production programmes of the State Governments are mostly limited to the available stock of materials, which may not be able to generate the desired impact in the production front. The ICAR vision document 2050 also stresses the need to increase the nucleus planting material production.
Availability of good quality planting material is the key to the success of spice cultivation as it accounts for about 40% of total cost of production in annual crops like , ginger and turmeric and in the long-standing crop of black pepper and tree spices, where these are the source of income for many years to come . Hence selection of quality material for planting and its storage till the planting season is very important.
Availability of good quality planting material of high yielding varieties is negligible compared to the demand. In order to improve the situation, DASD has directly taken up nucleus planting material production programme with all the available released high yielding varieties by building up the required facilities in the Research Farms attached to the SAUs, ICAR Institutes etc. The Directorate assesses the requirement of nucleus planting materials well in advance for various State Horticulture Mission Programmes. All the selected spice crops under these programmes assigned to the State Governments are included for planting material production under DASD programme. The nucleus planting materials produced are supplied for further multiplication to the State Governments/farmers based on their requirements for various programmes in subsequent year. Wherever Certification Standards are not available, Truth Full Labeled (TFL) seeds will be produced with due care given on all the quality parameters. The nucleus materials are to be produced by SAUs/ ICAR institutes on firm indents and distributed following the norms of the SAU / ICAR Institutes. 100% assistance is provided to the SAUs / Central Institutes for taking up these programmes. It would be the responsibility of the producing agencies to ensure quality of the planting material produced by them.
The quantity of nucleus planting materials of the spice crops proposed to be produced during 2025-26, the unit cost of production, physical target for the year and financial requirement thereon are given below.
Table 1. Production of nucleus planting materials – physical target and financial requirement
| S.
No |
Programmes | Unit | Cost per unit (Rs in Lakhs) | Physical Target | Financial Req. (Rs in lakhs) |
| 1 | Black Pepper / Betelvine | Nos in lakhs | 8.00 | 25.245 | 201.96000 |
| 2 | Ginger rhizomes | Qty in tones | 0.30 | 150.500 | 45.15000 |
| 3 | Ginger Protray seedlings | Nos in lakhs | 1.20 | 6.900 | 8.28000 |
| 4 | Turmeric rhizomes | Qty in tones | 0.30 | 727.000 | 218.10000 |
| 5 | Turmeric protray seedlings | Nos in lakhs | 1.20 | 10.470 | 12.56400 |
| 6 | Chilli seeds | Qty in (qtls) | 0.75 | 46.770 | 35.07750 |
| 7 | Seed spices | Qty in tones | 0.50 | 195.000 | 97.50000 |
| 8 | Garlic | Qty in tones | 0.50 | 86.750 | 43.37500 |
| 9 | Bush Pepper | Nos in lakhs | 40.00 | 0.660 | 26.40000 |
| 10 | Tree spices grafts /seedlings | ||||
| i. | Nutmeg grafts (Plagiotropic) | Nos in lakhs | 80.00 | 0.5700 | 45.60000 |
| ii. | Nutmeg grafts (Orthotropic) | Nos in lakhs | 140.00 | 0.0890 | 12.46000 |
| iii | Tamarind / Kokum grafts | Nos in lakhs | 20 | 2.2100 | 44.20000 |
| iv | Clove /Allspice seedlings | Nos in lakhs | 20 | 0.2800 | 5.60000 |
| v | Cinnamon /Cassia /Curry leaf seedlings | Nos in lakhs | 5 | 4.5800 | 45.80000 |
| vi | Cinnamon seedlings Air layers | Nos in lakhs | 25 | 0.9110 | 22.77500 |
| 11 | Aromatic Plants | Ha. | 0.75 | 71.0000 | 53.25000 |
| Total | 918.0915 |
1.2. Small nursery for spices and aromatic plants
The Directorate setup small nurseries (1 ha) in National Research Institutes/Agricultural Universities to generate sufficient quality planting materials of spices and aromatic plants which are in good demand in the domestic industries and also for the export. The nurseries will be having provision for naturally ventilated green houses and net houses and it would meet the specific standards of a model nursery with the capacity to produce a minimum 25,000 numbers of the planting material per hectare duly certified for its quality. The spices nurseries taken up under this programme need to be got accredited by DASD immediately after its establishment.
1.3. Upgradation of spice nurseries
Objective :
- To strengthen the infrastructure of the existing nurseries to meet the accreditation norms and to ensure production and supply of good quality disease free planting material of desired high yielding varieties;
- To develop a network of accredited nurseries to fulfill the requirement of planting material of the spice growers.
Non-availability of quality planting material had been a major bottleneck in improving the production and productivity of spices crop. Govt./Public Sector nurseries could hardly cater to 10-15% of the total requirement of planting material in the spices sector. The rest has to be met through private sector. Poor quality planting material supplied by private nurseries cause great loss to the farmers especially in perennial crops where they realize the truth only after couple of years. Genuinity of the variety and health of the planting material raised are two important factors that determine the quality of planting material. These two factors can be addressed only if there is required infrastructure in the nurseries.
As the price of the Black Pepper and Nutmeg improved, the demand for planting material increased and hundreds of small unregulated private nurseries spanned in these tracts which started selling planting material of poor quality and at high price, leaving the farmers a disgruntled lot. There are a number of genuine nursery men who wish to produce quality planting material but do not have the financial resources to acquire the infrastructure required to do so.
In this programme, the Directorate attempt to help the nurseries both in public and private sector to build up their infrastructure and develop their capability to produce good quality planting material. The important component required as infrastructure are soil solarization unit, work shed for mixing potting mixture, the mist chambers for root and shoot development, poly houses for giving right environment for growth, hardening sheds, irrigation facility etc. The most important of all this, is the mother block which is the source of the propagule used for planting material.
Through this programme, the Directorate will rope in good number of nurseries into the loop of accredited nurseries thereby creating a national level capability and set standards for the production of quality planting material in spices thereby catering to the ever-increasing demand of quality planting material among the spice farmers. This will have an effect on the income levels of farmers and would spurt an increase in production and productivity of spices at the national level.
Any individual nursery men/public sector organization is eligible for claiming financial assistance provided under this programme on ‘first cum first serve basis’ and subject to the availability of funds.
Under the Scheme, both upgradation of nurseries through addition of new structure/equipment and renovation of the existing structure/equipment will be considered. The proposal submitted should be of a maximum of Rs.10 lakhs for a nursery of 4 ha. area. For Public Sector 100% subsidy can be given. For private sector 50% subsidy may be given upto a maximum of Rs.5 lakhs per nursery.
The most commonly required components are listed in table below with the cost norms that apply for it.
Table 2: Components for nursery upgradation
| Sl.no | Infrastructure | Quantity | Rate of assistance |
| Upgradation of nurseries to meet the accreditation norms | |||
| 1. | White polythene sheet 50 microns thickness (for solarisation) | 40kg | 190/kg |
| 2. | Workshed construction 13m x 6.6m | 85.8 sq.m | 2160/ sq.m |
| 3. | Establishment of motherblock and maintenance for 2 years/ strengthening | 1 acre | 70,000/- |
| 4. | Fertigation unit for the motherblock | 1 acre | 40,000/- |
| 5. | Mist chamber/ hardening unit | 60 sq.m | 2500/- sq.m |
| 6. | Establishment of new poly house | 500 sq.m | 1060/- |
| 7. | Establishment of shade ne t house | 500 sq.m | 710/- |
| 8. | Equipments/ machineries
a) Trolley mounted power sprayer b) Trolley for transportation of plants and others |
50 lit 110kg |
15,000/- 5000/- |
| Renovation of the existing structure | |||
| 1. | Renovation of the existing structure
UV sheet Aluminium locking profile 50%shade net Fogger |
500 sq.m
|
113.9/- 101.48/- 70.77/- 238.88/- |
Applications will be processed at the level of the Directorate and disposed off. The application with components which are not listed in the above table will be given for processing to a one-man committee appointed by the Directorate, who will submit his recommendation.
Application for availing assistance under this scheme shall be submitted in the prescribed form with the following documents (private nurseries): –
(1) The project proposal along with the layout of the nursery showing the location of the infrastructure components and land utilization plan;
(2) Copy of possession certificate of land.
On receipt of the application, an officer of the Directorate will conduct a preliminary inspection, if the component requested are the one listed above, and submit the recommendation. In case the components are other than the one listed above; it will be referred to a one-man committee appointed by the Directorate. If eligible, the applicant would be issued a permit letter. On completion of the work, an officer of the Directorate will conduct a final inspection and recommend for release of subsidy.
During 2025-26, the Directorate proposes to upgrade/renovate about 10 nurseries which will be brought into the loop of accredited nurseries thereby increasing the quantum of quality planting material available to the farmers across the spice growing belt.
1.4. Seed processing and storage infrastructure
The seeds produced at the seed production centres have to be stored properly after various processing treatments for a reasonable period of time ranging from 3 to 9 months, requiring adequate storage facilities. In order to facilitate proper handling, processing, storage and packaging of seeds, assistance would be provided for creating infrastructure like drying platforms; threshing, cleaning, winnowing and grading machineries; desiccators; storage structures / storage bins; packaging units and other related equipments. A lump sum amount of Rs.20.00 lakhs is provided to establish these facilities. 100% assistance will be provided to the SAUs and ICAR Institutes assigned with seed production programme. This programme is being implemented since 2005-06 under NHM and has contributed significantly in the development of seed processing infrastructure and storage facilities in various SAUs and Central Institutes. During 2025-26, the facility will be provided at 9 centres based on the project submitted by them.