SANGUEM
Coconut producers from the remote areas of Sanguem taluka have complained about the increasing number of coconut trees dying due to ‘Bud Rot’, a disease which affects the canopy of the coconut trees.
Claiming that the disease is on the rise since the past five years with more trees dying this year, the coconut producers expressing an urgent need for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the agriculture department to conduct a detailed study in the matter and accordingly guide the farmers on precautions to avoid the trees from being affected with the
disease.
A farmer, Chandrakant Gaonkar from Bhati-Sanguem, informed that due to continuous rains this year, the number of trees dying on account of the ‘Bud Rot’ disease have increased substantially, leaving the farmers in huge losses.
In addition to the Bud Rot disease, the coconut farmers in Sanguem are also facing losses due to a decrease in the size of coconuts which the farmers attribute to termites affecting the coconuts.
“The smaller-sized coconuts command a comparatively lower price in the market as compared to coconut of an average size, leading to substantial decrease in our income,” complained Dilip Dabholkar from Cottarli-Sanguem.
In addition to losses caused due to the Bud Rot disease and termites, coconut farmers residing on the border of Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary have also complained of losses after the tender coconuts were being eaten by monkeys.
The coconut farmers claimed their situation is getting worse with each passing day and have requested the government to devise measures to compensate the farmers for the losses.
“Presently, there is no scheme to compensate the farmers for losses due to ‘Bud Rot’ and this has left us in a precarious situation,” said Dabholkar.
