Chhattisgarh has potential for coconut farming and to promote it, soon Coconut Development Board regional office would be organised in state, said Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Brijmohan Agrawal.
He was addressing the national-level programme organised jointly by Coconut Development Board, Kochi, Horticulture and Farm Forestry and Indira Gandhi Agriculture University in university premises on Sunday to mark the World Coconut Day.
Minister assured that land and other necessary cooperation would be extended for establishment of the office. Raipur Member of Parliament Ramesh Bais presided over. CDB chairman Raju Narayan Swami, ACS agriculture Sunil Kujur, State Planning Commission member Dr D.K. Marotia and IGAU Vice Chancellor Dr S.K. Patil were present as special guests. An exhibition based on coconut was also organised.
Agriculture minister Brijmohan Agrawal read the message of Union Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh said that tree of coconut is a ‘Kalpa Vriksha’ which is a boon for human beings. Each part of coconut tree is used and more than 1 crore farmers are dependent on it making it an integral part of Indian economy.
The country is producing 240 crore coconut covering area of 20 lakh hectares and India is placed in third position in coconut production in world.
Chhattisgarh has immense potential as already in Bastar, Kondagaon, Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanker, Dhamtari and Raipur districts the farming is being done. At Kondagaon, Coconut Development and Research Project is operational.
Raipur MP Ramesh Bais said that coconut is beneficial for human health. He said that tribal of Bastar can be motivated to take up coconut farming including cashew nut.
ACS Sunil Kujur said that coconut crop takes 7-8 years but during this period inter-cropping of spices and other crops can be taken.
CDB chairman briefed on the different schemes and on opening of the Regional Office.
IGAU VC Patil spoke on details about the research underway and possibilities in Chhattisgarh. Dr Marotia spoke on processing units for better value addition. Different publications were released on the occasion.