Tea-Coffee Board to come up soon in state for promotion of tea and coffee cultivation
Raipur:Agriculture Minister will be the chairman of the board while industries minister will be vice chairman.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has decided to form Chhattisgarh Tea-Coffee Board under the Chairmanship of the Agriculture Minister to promote cultivation of tea and coffee in the state. Industries Minister of Chhattisgarh will be the Vice Chairman of the Board. Two special members including Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary to the Chief Minister, Agriculture Production Commissioner, Managing Director of Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC), one officer each from Agriculture/Horticulture and Forest Department will also be included in the Board.
Chief Minister Baghel said that Chhattisgarh Tea-Coffee Board is being constituted to ensure maximum benefits to the local farmers and processors, and to promote cultivation of tea and coffee in the state. Baghel said that the target of cultivating tea and coffee in at least ten thousand acres would be achieved in the next three years. The farmers cultivating tea and coffee will be extended the benefits of Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojanaand other facilities by the Agriculture Department.
There is a huge potential for cultivation and processing of tea in the northern part of the state, Jashpur district in particular, and coffee in the southern part, especially in Bastar district. Horticulture and Industries Department will play an important role in promoting the cultivation, said the Chief Minister. For this purpose, along with taking technical guidance from reputed institutions of national level, the help of private sector experts, investors and consultants will also be taken.
The climate of the plateau region of Jashpur district is favorable for the cultivation of tea. Jashpur district is the only district in central India where successful cultivation of tea is being done. Tea cultivation is being encouraged by the Government. With the cooperation of the government, the work of cultivation of tea is in progress on 80 acres of agricultural land of about 50 farmers. Tea is produced at full capacity only after 5 years of setting up the tea plantation. There is a possibility of profit of Rs 2 lakh per acre in case of production at full capacity.