Coconut farmers get Rs 81 cr livelihood package

CHENNAI: Putting the final toll of coconut trees at 68 lakh when cyclone Gaja crossed the coast one-and-half months ago, the State rolled out a livelihood package worth Rs 81 crore in the first phase for affected coconut growers in  Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Tiruchy, Madurai and Dindigul districts.

The package includes the supply of 35 lakh coconut seedlings and millets, pulses and oilseeds as intercrops with a view to provide sustainable income to the affected coconut farmers till the saplings to be planted, give yield in four-five years.

The G.O. in this regard was issued on Monday. Of the total allocation, Rs 17.50 crore would be spent on providing coconut seedlings while Rs 20 crore had been allocated for intercropping of millets, pulses and oilseeds. Besides, Rs 43.51 crore would be spent on promoting drip irrigation to ensure judicious use of water.

Since the farmers are likely to purchase coconut seedlings from government and private nurseries for replanting, it is proposed to initially take steps for providing assistance in planting new coconut seedlings on about 20,000 hectares through government nurseries.  Based on the further need for the seedlings, the requirement would be reviewed and action would be taken after March. On the strategies for inter-cropping, it is programmed to promote millets like ragi, maize and Kuthiraivali, on 5,000 hectares in the affected districts by offering 100 per cent assistance to farmers.

More than 90 per cent of the affected area falls in delta districts wherein ADT3, ADT5 of black gram are the popular pulse varieties, which grow well using residual moisture as well as show good resistance to Yellow Mosaic Virus (YMV) in these areas.  

Likewise, TMV3 and TMV4 are gingelly varieties preferred by farmers suitable to these tracts. Hence, the State has written to the Centre, seeking a relaxation of norms for using less than ten-year-old varieties and permit to use any varieties of millets, pulses and gingelly as a special case to save the livelihood of Gaja-affected farmers.

Coconut is cultivated predominantly by small and marginal farmers, and at this hour, spreading awareness and educating the farmers to increase yield by effective utilisation of water is important.  “Water requirement of coconut under the conventional method is 200 to 300 litres per day whereas, under drip irrigation system, the requirement is only 75-100 litres per day, thereby saving 45 per cent of water. Moreover, the yield increase is reported to be 30 per cent under the drip system. So, it is proposed to cover 15,000 hectares at a cost of Rs 43.51 crore,” the G.O. added.