The 2023-24 State Budget has earmarked ₹971.71 crore for the agriculture sector and also enhanced the support price for coconut from ₹32 to ₹34 per kg.
Out of the total outlay for the sector, Central assistance accounts for ₹156.30 crore, Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal said. While ₹732.46 crore has been set aside for crop husbandry, the outlay specifically for rice development has been enhanced from the current year’s provision of ₹76 crore to ₹95.10 crore.
Major allocations include ₹93.45 crore for the comprehensive vegetable cultivation programme, ₹68.95 crore for coconut development schemes, and ₹25 crore for procurement of coconut seed nut and production and distribution of coconut seedlings through farm department farms. The department will encourage ‘Safe to eat’ food production through organic farming along with modern technology-based farming practices.
Spice, fruit farming
The Budget has earmarked ₹89.75 crore for soil and water conservation, and ₹4.60 crore for spice cultivation. For fruit cultivation, the Budget has set aside ₹18.92 crore with emphasis on increasing the production and productivity of indigenous and exotic fruits. The allocation for the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council, Keralam (VFPCK) has been enhanced from ₹25 crore to ₹30 crore.
The government will spend ₹74.50 crore on marketing, storage and warehousing of agricultural produce, ₹19.81 crore for supporting farm mechanisation and ₹3.75 crore on procuring machinery for small-medium processing enterprises through farmer producer organisations (FPO).
In 2023-24, the Agriculture department also intends to spend ₹2 crore on measures for preventing wild animal encroachments on populated areas.
