Kerala to set up model coconut farms

The Kerala government is set to introduce a scheme aimed at setting up model coconut farms across the state.

As per the plan, every single panchayat in the state will have its own model coconut farm.

According to state agriculture minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran, each model coconut farm would comprise a group of 50 farmers and would be run by an agriculture officer. This apart, the state government plans to urge the Centre to announce support price for coconut instead of copra.

Speaking in the state Assembly, Ratnakaran said that the government had also decided to facilitate functioning of the Paddy Board from this year itself.

With organic farming gaining currency in the state, the government also plans to boost this sector by creating as many as 100 organic villages in the state. In an effort to promote vegetable cultivation too in the state, the department of agriculture would soon come up with a scheme - Haritasree - to encourage farmers in this regard, the minister revealed.

The northern districts of Wayanad, Palakkad and Idukki have already been declared 'vegetable districts'.

The Haritasree scheme, which is expected to take off on April 14 this year, is also aimed at making Kerala self sufficient in vegetables.

Other programmes the department of agriculture has lined up include conduct of agriculture adalats, helpline for farmers and strengthening of seed farm projects.

The agriculture adalats are being planned at all the Krishi Bhavans in the state and would aim at addressing the various problems faced by farmers. The proposed helpline, according to the minister, would be at the office of the agriculture minister.

On the seed farm projects, he said that a special officer had already been appointed to recommend steps to strengthen seed farm projects.

He added that a panel, which heard various grievances of farmers with regard to the Seed Bill, would submit a report to the government. The report would be forwarded to the Centre by the state government.