Agriculture dept. clarifies on neera tapping provisions

Farmers instructed to complete registration procedures

Agriculture department officials have made a clarification that Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) could get involved in neera tapping if they had completed the requisite registration and consent procedures.

“The FPO interested in neera tapping should first register with Coconut Development Board at Kochi in Kerala for the specific purpose and also should obtain the requisite approval for tapping neera from the Board”, explained Deputy Director of Agriculture K. Arasappan.

Mr. Arasappan, who is also the Personal Assistant (Agriculture) to District Collector, informed the the farmers during the grievances redress meeting organised by district administration here on Wednesday.

C. Mounagurusamy, a farmer, alleged that a large chunk of maize farmers in the district who suffered setbacks due to drought during 2016-17 financial year were yet to receive the crop insurance under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

Insurance amount

Collector K. S. Palanisamy and the agriculture department officials said that insurance amount to the tune of ₹ 12.33 crore had been cumulatively sanctioned to 3,513 maize farmers in the district.

“Of the amount, ₹4.85 crore had already been remitted to the bank accounts of 1,137 farmers. The remaining beneficiaries will receive the amount within a fortnight”, said the officials.