The district administration organised a seminar-cum-awareness programme here on Thursday inviting coconut growers to examine scope for producing value-added goods from coconuts
Instead of selling coconuts, farmers were suggested to learn from a group of progressive farmers from Pudukottai district, who were part of Farmers’ Producers Organisation and manufactured various products from coconut through a cluster.
Collector K Veera Raghava Rao said the district cultivated coconut on 8500 hectares. Farmers should get new ideas and share their experience on controlling pest management, productive use of water for irrigation and right quantity of fertilizers to be used for the crop. With State government offering a number of sops to farmers, they should look for new ways and adapt methods which would reduce cost of production and improve their profits.
With summer fast approaching, the demand for tender coconuts would be high. Farmers should try to achieve higher yield to make use of this opportunity. The quality of coconuts could be enhanced by adopting integrated nutrient management. It would make more consumers to consume natural drink during thirsty time and avoid beverages and other juices, said Joint Director (Agriculture) S S Sheik Abdullah.
Farmers from various parts of the district witnessed exhibition of products and subsidies displayed at the seminar. The Agriculture Engineering Department fabricated a gadget with which farmers can climb the coconut trees and pluck coconuts with ease was kept for demonstration. Deputy Director (Agriculture) S Ramachandran, PA (Agriculture) to Collector P Dhanuskodi and among others participated.
