The benefits of insuring coconut trees were highlighted at the World Coconut Day – 2023 function held at the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Echangkottai near Thanjavur on Saturday.
Addressing the participant, director Coconut Development Board, Chennai Region K. Aravazhi gave brief notes on various schemes implemented by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through the Board in association with the State governments, including the crop insurance scheme.
Stating that Tamil Nadu with higher production of coconuts leads the table of States in the Southern part of the nation in terms of production, the Chennai Regional director said that around 57,000 hectares have been brought under coconut cultivation in the Delta districts.
Urging the cultivators to avoid dense cultivation methods, he claimed that planting the saplings at a distance of 15 to 25 feet would help better growth of individual trees which in turn results in the production of quality coconuts in higher quantity.
Assuring that CCB would extend all possible help for the production of value-added coconut products through the Farmers Producers Organizations, Aravazhi said the Indian coconuts enjoy a good market in Europe, the Gulf and other Asian regions.
He called upon the cultivators to opt for crop insurance implemented with the Central government sharing 50 percent of the insurance premium and the State government 25 percent of the total premium. The contribution of 25 percent of the insurance premium by the cultivators would help them tide over the financial constraints they might face due to unexpected natural developments, he pointed out.
