Govt Committed to Increase Income of Coconut Farmers, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy

VIJAYAWADA:
The Government of Andhra Pradesh is committed in increasing the income of the farmers through scientific coconut cultivation, said Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Minister for Agriculture, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh while inaugurating the World Coconut Day celebration of Coconut Development Board at Shubam Kalyana Vedhika, Ramavarappadu Ring Road, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
He expressed his happiness on the increased productivity of coconut in the state which is having the highest coconut productivity in the country. The Minister also inaugurated the exhibition held as part of the programme. Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao, MLA, Vijayawada, visited the exhibition. Dr. P Chowdappa, Director, CPCRI who spoke during the occasion informed that CPCRI is setting up a Regional Station in the state. He called upon the farmers to cultivate intercrop like cocoa in coconut gardens for realizing better income from coconut cultivation.
Dr.B.N.S.Murthy, Chairman, CDB in his welcome address spoke on the various programmes of the Board implemented in the state for increasing the production and productivity of coconut in the state. Chiranjiv Choudhary, Commissioner of Horticulture, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh in his vote of thanks thanked the Board for conducting the programme in the state and also for implementing more programmes of CDB in the state.
A handbook on integrated management practices in coconut for productivity improvement in Telugu and special edition of the Bharatiya Kobbari Patrike was released during the occasion.
Around 400 farmers from all coconut growing states took part in the programme. A technical session on the theme was held as part of the programme which was chaired by Dr.P. Chowdappa, Director CPCRI, Kasargod and co-chaired by Saradindu Das, Chief Coconut Development Officer, CDB. Dr.Vijayakumar, Professor of Cardiology of Amrita Institute of Medical sciences, Kochi spoke on the goodness of coconut oil and its health benefits. Dr.Ramanandam, Prinipal Scientist, Horticulture Research Station, YSR University spoke on coconut cultivation and plant protection and Sreekumar
Poduval, Processing Engineer spoke on value addition in coconut and assistance under the Technology Mission on Coconut programme of Coconut Development Board. An interactive session of the farmers was also held as part of the programme wherein technical experts cleared the doubts of the farmers on scientific coconut cultivation practices. An exhibition of coconut and its various value added products was held as part of the programme, wherein coconut product manufacturers, FPOs and coconut craftsmen from across the country showcased various value added coconut products and services.