Aid sought for revival of coconut farming

BHUBANESWAR: The Horticulture Directorate has sought an immediate assistance of `50 crore to support coconut farmers who have been badly hit by cyclone Fani last month.Though the Directorate has submitted a proposal to the State Government for sanction of `631.63 crore to compensate the affected farmers for undertaking fresh coconut plantation, the Chief Minister had announced cash assistance of `500 per damaged coconut tree subject to a limit of 25 trees per farmer to support their immediate livelihood.

The cash assistance is over and above the agriculture input subsidy and support for seedling and tree plantation announced by the Chief Minister on May 11. Naveen had announced a special package of `100 crore for street vendors, coconut farmers and poultry farmers affected by the natural calamity.

“An amount of `50 crore is required to offer the special package to the affected coconut growers, which may be considered out of the State Budget or Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” said Horticulture Director BK Upadhyaya in a letter to Agriculture Department.

As per an estimate, around 9.7 lakh trees in 7,930 hectare (ha) of coconut farms have suffered extreme damage in six districts of Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsingpur, Jajpur and Kendrapara districts due to the cyclone. Around `100 crore will be required for replanting of about 10 lakh trees, the average cost being `1,000 per tree.

=Estimating the unit cost per ha (covering 175 trees) at `2.8 lakh, the Directorate has sought an assistance of `182.43 crore for rejuvenation of coconut farms which will take 4-5 years to see the economic yield.
With the extensive damage to coconut farms, the affected are feared to sustain a production loss of about `83.26 crore annually. Meanwhile, the Directorate has requested the State Government to forward its proposal for grant of financial assistance to the Coconut Development Board.