CPCRI, September 2, 2023: The World Coconut Day 2023 was Inaugurated by Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, at ICAR-CPCRI Kasaragod. The programme was organised jointly by ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod and Coconut Development Board, Kochi.

The minister urged the entrepreneurs to double their exports by marketing value-added products to customers not only in local bazar but worldwide bazars. She said, "We are number one in coconut production and also 8th biggest world exporter of agricultural commodities such as horticultural crops, spices and food grains".

The minister asked, "What to do with copra alone, when its prices are low? The world needs VCO, coconut milk, coconut sugar and cocopeat, the demands are ever increasing". Entrepreneurs were urged by the minister to consult agencies like the APEDA. She told the entrepreneurs to grab hold of technologies from institutes. She invited the FPOs to prepare need-based projects to present before the Government. The minister assured all the support from her side. Very low utilization of Agricultural infrastructure funds, which are extended at an outlay of Rs. 2 crore each.

The Prime Ministers Kisan Samman Yojana (PMKSY), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and DBT on Agricultural Mechanization are to alleviate farmers from investment load. District-wise custom hiring centres have started all over the country.

She also mentioned that the budget allocation increased more than four times compared to 2014 to an amount of Rs. 1,25,000 crores. The minimum support price for coconut also doubled compared to earlier. So, maximum efforts are to be taken by the farmers and research institutes as well as developmental agencies such as CDB to backstop price crash by popularising recent value-added technologies among fellow farmers.

The minister cautioned the farmers against fake seeds everywhere. She welcomed the ICAR-CPCRI initiative on quality-assured QR-coded seedlings, which can help trace the seedling details.

Women farmers are coming forward to use technology. Climate-resilient technology adoption, adoption of mixed farming with crop diversification, including fisheries. We need to realize Atmanirbhar Bharat in edible oil. The marketing of oil needs projections of health benefits.

The minister visited various research laboratories of the institute including tissue culture & the agro-processing unit laboratory. She has also witnessed drone-based spraying on coconut plantations, ground pollination device demonstration, products of organic farming technology, integrated pest and disease management practices adopted by the institute.

Sushri Shobha Karandlaje released QR coded coconut seedlings. She has also planted a coconut sapling in memory of her visit to the institute. She lauded the institute for their achievements and told that these should be reflected in the sector.

Coimbatore entrepreneurs exported the first neera container to the USA.

 

 

Sri N.A. Nellikkunnu, MLA, who presided over the function, highlighted the present crisis faced by the coconut farmers. He wanted to bring production cost to Rs 10 from the present Rs. 12 by adopting technologies. He wanted the departments to encourage the youth to take up farming.

Dr. V.B. Patel, Assistant Director General (F&PC), ICAR, New Delhi felicitating the function, said that the policymakers from the government, scientists from the institute, entrepreneurial personalities and the farmers have all gathered together for World Coconut Day. All the stakeholders with their combined efforts in the coconut sector, will find significant developments in the long term. He urged the gathering that the technology concepts must percolate among the farmers. The production of quality planting materials also needs to be increased to meet the demands. A database on carbon sequestration can be converted to a carbon trading model to estimate environmental impact. He congratulated the CPCRI for generating the highest number of technologies.

Sri Renukumar, Vice Chairman, CDB, and Sri P.R. Muralidharan, President, BAMCO, offered felicitations. Earlier, Dr. K.B. Hebbar, Director, CPCRI, in his welcome address, mentioned about the restructuring of institute research to the national priorities. He also described the need for climate-resilient research foreseeing the climate change effect on the crops. He also highlighted the technologies developed at the institute to give emphasis to value addition and entrepreneurship development.

Dr. Hanumanthe Gowda, Chief Coconut Development Officer, Coconut Development Board, Kochi, dwelt upon the various schemes implemented by the Board for farmers.

Seven publications were released during the programme, which include, 1) Cultivation practices of coconut - Northeast India, 2) Advisory on integrated management of leaf spot disease in arecanut in English and Malayalam, 3) Ready Reckoner on Cocoa, Coconut and Arecanut (bilingual in English & Kannada), 4) Coconut Products by Coconut Development Board in English & Hindi and 5) Schemes for Prosperity by Coconut Development Board.

An app on QR code development for seedlings was also executed by the Hon'ble Minister.

During the programme, the following 15 farmer entrepreneurs were honoured by the minister: Shri P.A. Elango, Chief Executive Officer & Shri Prabhu P.K., Executive Promotions, M/s Global Coconut Farmers Producer Company Limited, T.N.;

Shri N.U. Raam Mohan, Managing Director, M/s Umapathy Coconut Hybrid Centre, T.N.; Shri Vinodan T.K., General Manager, Shri Vinayan E.V., Chairman, M/s Thrissur Coconut Producer Company, Kerala

Shri Sarvajjan T.V., Director, M/s Eramala Coconut Complex, Kerala;

Shri Sathyanarayana Udupa, Chairman and MD, M/s Udupi Kalparasa Coconut and All Spices Producer Company Ltd, Karnataka; Shri Muralidhar, Advisor of the company;

Shri Kusumadhar, S. K., Chairman, M/s South Canara Coconut Farmers Producer Company Limited, Karnataka;

Shri Chethan A., Chief Executive Officer, Shri Dinesh Prayag, General Manager, M/s Krishna Plantations Pvt. Ltd., Goa;

Shri Nagesh Prayag, Marketing Manager, Shri Ram Laxman Polabhai, Owner, Shri Ram Rajabhai Rambhai, Co. Owner, Shri Jotva Jagdish Lakshman Bhai, Chief Executive Officer, M/s Mahakali Coconut farm, Gujarat.

Entrepreneurs obtained licenses for six technologies on the day from the minister. They were Mr. Gangadhara Alva, Integrated Rural Agri Nursery, Badiadka – 671 551, Kerala on Shatamangala;

Mrs. Vanitha Yadukumar, Yashaswi Nursery, Korungu, Kemminje – 574 202, Puttur, Karnataka State on Shatamangala;

Mr Abdul Sawad T A, Managing Director of REDHIVE ODM LLP, Kasaragod-671121, Kerala, on Preservation of carbonated tender coconut water;

YGP Coconut Farmers Producer Company Ltd., Chitradurga Road, Davangere, Karnataka-577003 on Collection of fresh and hygienic Kalparasa and production of natural coconut sugar;

Programme co-ordinator, KVK, Kannur on Aqua formulation of EPN Kalpa EPN (CPCRI- SC1); and Dr Venugopal Nainala, Managing Director, Narial Bharat Nutra Producer Company Limited, Mamdikuduru Village, Konaseema district, A.P. on Coconut chips.

There were various technical sessions on coconut production during the programme in different sessions. A DST sponsored 'SERB Accelerate Vigyan Karyashala' on coconut value addition, which was also inaugurated by the Hon'ble Minister.

Smt. Deepti Nair, Director (Marketing), CDB, Kochi proposed vote of thanks. More 500 farmers from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Gujarat attended the celebration.