Chhattisgarh comes in CDB's 'feasible' list for coconut cultivation

Chhattisgarh is among 11 States where the Coconut Development Board (CDB) has been implementing a scheme titled ‘Expansion of Area under Coconut’ , the Central Government has informed.

The non-traditional coconut growing States where coconut cultivation is unorganised are: Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and North Eastern States like Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Meghalaya, the Government informed.

The CDB has been implementing a scheme ‘Expansion of Area under Coconut’ in the above States where coconut cultivation is feasible.

CDB has established Demonstration-cum-Seed Production Farms in the States of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Tripura also for demonstrating scientific coconut farming practices and to make available quality coconut seedlings to meet the local requirements of farmers for taking up coconut cultivation.

The Board is also facilitating formation of Farmer Producers Organisations (FPOs) in coconut sector for bringing the small and marginal farmers together into an organized sector.

The CDB proposes to increase the assistance under Area Expansion scheme taking into consideration of the present cost of cultivation.

In order to protect the farmers from price fall, the Central Government declares Minimum Support Price (MSP) for coconut every year. The MSP for Fair Average Quality (FAQ) of ‘Milling Copra’ was increased to Rs  7500/- per quintal for 2018 season from Rs 6500/- per quintal in 2017. The MSP for FAQ of ‘Ball copra’ has been increased to Rs 7750/- per quintal for 2018 season from Rs  6785/- per quintal in 2017.