The Central Government has approved the Coconut Development Board or CDB’s annual action plan that envisages an outlay of Rs. 212 crore for the year 2019 to 2020.
Accordingly, the Coconut Board has approved allocation to different States. For the current financial year, it has allocated Rs. 29.6 crore for Odisha to make up for the damages caused due to Fani Cyclone. The board is also taking up a huge area expansion programme & also encouraging value addition to coconuts.
Much emphasis will be laid on the production of quality planting material. The TMoC (Technology Mission on Coconut) is under implementation to tackle the problems, bridge gaps & ensure adequate, suitable and timely action.
In this attempt, national institutes like Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) & State Agricultural Universities have offered monetary support for the research & development on new coconut- based products.
According to a press release, small & marginal entrepreneurs will also benefit from the imitative under TMoC. All the benefits under various schemes put into practice by the CDB will be transferred directly to the growers (direct benefit transfer mode).
It is important to mention that India is the leading country in terms of coconut production and productivity. The total value of exports in last year (2018-19) was Rs. 2,045 crore.
The Coconut Development Board has undertaken special schemes for the growth & progress of the sector. Following the cyclones in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and floods in Kerala, special monetary packages were released to farmers.
