Nizamabad Member of Parliament K. Kavitha has urged the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitaraman to take steps to expedite the formation of National Turmeric Board, which is the long pending demand of the turmeric farmers in the country.
Ms. Kavitha on Monday presented a memorandum to the Union Minister in Delhi seeking her intervention in helping the turmeric farmers.
The TRS MP informed that the State Government had sanctioned ₹ 30 crore and had acquired 42 acres of land for the setting up of a Turmeric Spice Park at Balkonda in Nizamabad district. The Spices Board under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (GoI) has been entrusted with preparing the DPR for the same and the same is currently under process, she said.
Ms Kavitha invited the Minister to visit the Park and requested for the pro-active support of the Central Government to request spice exporters to invest in the park, so that turmeric farmers can get a higher remunerative price.
She urged the Centre to categorically ban imports of turmeric in India which has been increasing at an alarming rate in the last five years. She also pointed out to the Minister that unless and until the import of cheaper turmeric varieties into the country is banned, turmeric farmers in the country will suffer badly in the days to come.
