Plantation sector seeks higher allocation and loan rejig
January 21, 2021
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Reeling under the impact of changing weather pattern and volatile price trend, the plantation sector in South has sought higher allocation of funds for the Commodity Boards in the Budget 2021-22 for clearing the growers’ dues.
Besides, the labour-intensive sector has also sought a financial package for restructuring of loans for the coffee sector and urged the government to declare minimum support price for the plantation produce among others sops in the Budget.
Prashant Bhansali, President, United Planters Association of South India (Upasi), said the reduction in the budgetary allocation in recent years has affected the plantation sector as the Boards were not in a position to disburse the dues to the growers under various development schemes.
The tea industry, which has witnessed a near 25 per cent drop in exports in 2020 following the lower production of the orthodox variety, is urging the central government to announce some subsidy to bo