Plantation crops are perennial crops cultivated on large farms or estates in tropical and subtropical regions that require significant labor. Major plantation crops in Karnataka include coffee, rubber, cardamom, cashew, coconut, and arecanut. Plantation crops are economically important as India is a leading global producer of some crops like tea and coconut. They provide significant employment and support many industries. While plantation crops have potential for expanded production areas and exports, generating employment, their cultivation also faces constraints like long maturation periods, lack of quality planting materials, processing infrastructure, and vulnerabilities to climatic hazards and pests.

1. SCOPE, IMPORTANCE AND
CONSTRAINTS OF
PLANTATION CROP
PRODUCTION
Muhammed Ameer
ALB7108
III BSc (Agri)

2. CONTENTS
• What are Plantation Crops?
• Plantation Crops in Karnataka
• Importance of Plantation Crops
• Scope of Plantation Crop production
• Major constraints in Plantation Agriculture

3. PLANTATION CROPS
A Plantation is a large farm or estate that specializes in
cash crops or commercial crops of perennial nature,
cultivated extensively in tropical and subtropical
situations which need employment of labour throughout
the year and the produces of which are usually consumed
after processing.

4. Major plantation crops in Karnataka
COFFEE RUBBER
CARDAMOM CASHEW

5. COCONUT ARECANUT

6. IMPORTANCE
•Leading position in the world
India is leading in the total production of certain plantation
crops in the world. Eg:Tea, Cashew, Arecanut, Coconut and
Rubber.
•Employment oppurtunity
Plantation crops provide direct and indirect employment to
many people. Eg:Tea - 20 lakhs people , Cashew – 5 lakhs
people.

7. •Industrial importance
Production industry supports many byproduct industries and
also many rural industries. Eg: Coconut fibre ( obtained from
husk ) production in India is about 2.2 lakh tons.
•Conserving soil and ecosystem
Eg: Tea and coffee with shade trees planted on hill slopes
Cashew in barren and waste lands ( since a hardy crop )
Both protect soil from water and wind erosion.

8. SCOPE
•Expansion in non–traditional areas
As population and spice crops have restricted geographical
distribution, the possibility of expansion of area in non –
traditional areas is limited. However, there is ample scope for
expansion area in non – traditional regions such as North
Eastern states where there is irrigation potential. Due to the
development of drip irrigation technology, new area under
plantation crops is increasing.

9. •Export potential
Plantation crops earn foreign exchange. Eg: Coir based products,
coir export and coffee. Main products and by-products not only
have export prospects but also have considerable internal demand
in several ancillary industries. Earning from export of plantation
crops accounts to 27 % of total agricultural commodities and 4.8%
of total export.
•Employment generation
Cultivation of plantation crops provide year round gainful
employment on the farm and factories. Eg: Coconut provides for 78
man days per ha. per year, amounting to 78 million man days / yr.
in Kerala alone.

10. •Crop diversification
These crops provide ample scope for diversification and
thereby it creates sustainable agriculture.
•Availability of technology and yield gap
Considerable information on recent technologies are
available on these crops. Eg: CPCRI Kasargod, Kerala. NRC
on Cashew, Shantigod, Puttur (Dakshina Kannada) and
various agril. Universities, research station, etc.

11. CONSTRAINTS
•Acceptance by farmers
It is required to educate farmers so as to convince them accept
plantation crops by replacing existing crops in some areas.
•Long pre-bearing period
This waiting period to attain reproductive stage discourage
farmers to go for annual crops.
•Availability of quality planting material
Though seedlings are produced at research centers, there is need
to import quality planting materials from other countries.

12. •Processing facility at reasonable distance
Fruits maybe in need of immediate processing, so
establishment of processing units is necessary. Public sector
companies should come forward for establishment of
factories.
•Climatic hazards
Crops like rubber, cocoa, oil palm, etc. need constantly high
temperatures, high relative humidity and very high rainfall,
are unfortunately, those least suited to human activities.
Hurricanes and typhoons can cause greater damage to
plantation crops. Coffee plantations in Brazil are largely

13. Landslide affected Coffee Plantation Wilt affected Coconut trees
Pest attacked Cashew trees

14. Frost damaged Coffee plantations

15. •Prevalence of diseases and insect pests
The tropics with their hot, humid conditions encourage the
growth of insects and bacteria and also spread of diseases.
•Environmental issues
Soil erosion, soil fertility decline which should be checked by
growing cover crops. Few studies have been conducted on the
issue of carbon sequestration under perennial plantation
cropping. Reduction in deforestation yield much greater benefits
for a reduction in CO2 emissions than expanding plantation
agriculture.

16. Despite the environmental problems and other concerns,
crop yields of most plantation crops have increased over
time due to improved crop husbandry including high-
yielding cultivars and improved soil management.

17. THANK YOU