INDIA'S Planning Commission has cleared a proposal to extend an export subsidy for pepper and cardamom in a bid to increase exports on the one hand and to arrest the decline in domestic prices of these commodities on the other. Sources within the ministry of commerce indicated that the necessary notification to this effect would be issued soon. The total amount involved in the scheme would be around Rs200m ($4.5m). About half the money is likely to be given to cover transport and processing expenses at the Kerala State Co-operative Marketing Federation (Marketfed), which bought 4,800 tonnes of black pepper at Rs75 a kg when the market was at Rs 60 a kg... Read More