REVIVAL PACKAGE FOR COCONUT FARMERS

REVIVAL PACKAGE FOR
COCONUT FARMERS


The Department of Agriculture and the coconut Development Board have embarked on a project for replanting and rejuvenation of coconut farmers in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Thrissur districts.
The revival package enables farmers to avail of assistance to remove all old, unproductive and diseased coconut trees and substitute them with high yielding varieties over a period of three years. The project estimated to cost of 2,260.86 crore, with a subsidy of Rs 474.51 crore from the union government.
The scheme involves the felling of 143.4 lakh trees affected by coconut wilt disease, restoration of 133 lakh hectare of coconut farm and planting of 71.71 lakh saplings in three districts.
Farmers will be encouraged to take up integrated management practices like balanced fertilizer application, irrigation and drainage, soil and moisture conservation, organic manure, weed control and promotion of inter cropping.
The maximum assistance of Rs 13,000 for a hectare to remove old trees and Rs 15,000 a hectare for restoration of farms. The assistance for replanting is Rs 20 for sapling. The project will be implemented in varkala, Attingal and Kazhakuttam blocks of Thiruvananthapuram districts, Oachira, Karunagapally and Chavara blocks in Kollam and Chalakudi, Kodakara and Irinjalkuda blocks in Thrissur districts. The project would be implemented in clusters of 25 to 50 hectares each.
Selected farmers in each cluster would be imparted training in identifying diseased trees and in scientific management of coconut out palms.
The department in carrying out a participating survey among farmers to collect baseline information needed for the project.

Prof: John Kurakar