With around 66 percent (1.1 million hectares) of the total plantation area (1.6 million hectares) in the country being in southern India, the region accounts for 84 percent (1.23 million) of total growers (1.47 million) and 57 percent (1.3 million) of total work force (2.28 million).

In terms of crop production, southern India accounts for 100 percent of spices (61,000 tonnes), 98 percent (257,315 tonnes) of coffee and 96 percent (832,500 tonnes) of rubber.

In tea, however, the region lags far behind the north-eastern states, with only 24.5 percent (238,742 tonnes) of the total (972,768 tonnes) production. Tamil Nadu accounts for 17 percent (165,017 tonnes) of the total tea produced.

As a corollary, south India is estimated to account for 66 percent (Rs.14,894 crore/Rs.149 billion) of the projected total value (Rs.22,714 crore/Rs.227 billion) of plantation commodities in the country this fiscal (2008-09).

Similarly, the share of south India in export value is estimated to be around 72 percent of the total value (Rs.6,025 crore/Rs.60.25 billion).

Though conventionally the union commerce minister or his deputy presides over the main function, slated Tuesday, Union Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge is the chief guest this time due to the pre-occupation of Anand Sharma with WTO negotiations in Geneva and in the absence of his deputy Jyotiraditya Scindia.

A full day session on plantations, including presentation by the respective commodity board chairmen and a technical session on energy conservation and sustainable agriculture will precede the main conference. About 800 delegates, including growers, curers, roasters, buyers and exporters from all the three states are participating in the 116th annual meet.