New scheme replants hope in struggling coconut farmers

Rajkot: The Union Budget's announcement of a Coconut Promotion Scheme may provide much-needed relief to coconut farmers in Gujarat, who have grappled with multiple challenges over the past decade.The scheme aims to boost production and productivity by replacing old and unproductive coconut trees with new, high-yielding saplings.Gujarat has a long coastline where coconut is traditionally cultivated as a coastal crop. Coconut farming is spread across districts such as Valsad, Navsari, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka. However, Junagadh and Gir Somnath together account for the bulk of the state's coconut orchards.Despite favourable geographical conditions, both the area under coconut cultivation and overall production in Gujarat have declined sharply. Data from the Coconut Development Board shows that the area under cultivation fell to around 26,000 ha in 2023–24 from about 31,000 ha in 2013–14. Production has also registered a decline over the past decade.Agro-scientists attribute this downturn to several factors, chief among them being the infestation of the spiral whitefly over the last four to five years, which severely affected yields. Climate change further compounded the problem by causing fluctuations in temperature and humidity in coastal regions, leading to a reduction in female flowers and poor pollination. The situation worsened as excessive pesticide use to control the whitefly reduced honeybee populations, further impacting pollination.In addition, Cyclone Tauktae caused extensive damage to coconut orchards along the Gujarat coast.D K Varu, Principal and Dean of the College of Horticulture affiliated with Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU), said, "Cyclone Tauktae wiped out many coconut orchards. There are multiple reasons for the decline in area and production. However, timely government intervention and budgetary provisions to enhance productivity will benefit coconut growers in Gujarat."Farmers now hope that the proposed scheme will help revive coconut cultivation in the state by addressing productivity losses and encouraging replanting.