the goan I network
MARGAO
Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday mulled a Tender Coconut policy for Goa to boost coconut production and meet the requirements of the tourism sector, going to the extent of promising to incentivise coconut cultivation around construction sites by providing additional FAR to the builders.
While calling upon the Coconut Development Board to supply around 40,000 coconut seeds for the state to achieve the objective, the Agriculture Minister batted for the hybrid variety of coconuts to meet Goan requirements.
Addressing the day-long state-level seminar at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao oranised by the Coconut Development Board, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, government of India and Agriculture Technology Management Agency, the Agriculture Minister said the Tender Coconut policy will be unveiled in the next financial year the moment the Coconut Development Board promises to provide 10,000 coconut seed per year. “We have 40 Assembly constituencies and planting 1000 coconut saplings in each of the constituencies can help boost production. Even builders can plant the saplings around their projects in the cities and take benefit of the FAR”, he said.
The Agriculture Minister lamented that though coconut is deeply rooted in the State and is part of the culture, production of coconuts in Goa has not kept pace with the national average. “Goa’s total area under coconut cultivation is around 25800 hectares, while the yield per hectare is 5500 coconuts, which is half of the national average, pegged at 12,000”, he said.
Conceding that coconut production has been hit by labour costs and pests, the Agriculture minister has batted for hybrid variety to not only increase the yield, around 40,000 per hectare and to beat the labor costs. “The hybrid variety not only gives high yield but is easy to pluck. Plucking is a problem in Goa. The agriculture dept had trained many people, but you cannot bind them only to work as pluckers”, he said, adding “while the Benaulim variety gives around 85 coconuts, the hybrid variety produces around 250 coconuts”.
Referring to the request made by the Chairman of Coconut Development Board to the Goa government to prepare a plan for coconut development for the next financial year, the Agriculture minister said the department will prepare a comprehensive plan for the revival of coconut in Goa with the help of local entrepreneurs and professionals.
“Even the Comunidade bodies can take up coconut cultivation on barren land and the government will offer subsidies. I am willing to give the benefits to the Margao Comunidade in the ODP if they are ready to take up coconut cultivation on the Ambaji hillock. We can make the hillock a coconut grove. The Comunidade has some question regarding the yield, but this can be sorted out”, he added.
South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar said govt will provide incentives to boost coconut production, reminding the people of the place coconut occupies in the lives of Goans.
THE ‘NUTTY’ ROAD AHEAD
40,000 coconut seeds to be procured; 1000 seeds to be given to all constituencies
Incentive of additional FAR for builders if they plant coconut saplings around construction sites
Agriculture minister bats for hybrid variety to meet Goan requirements
Agri dept to prepare comprehensive plan for revival of coconuts in Goa
Subsidy for comunidade bodies if they take up coconut cultivation on barren land.
