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VOLUME 4 ISSUE 01 JANUARY 2018 ` 100
CONUT
SPECIAL
Scientific Management of
YOUNG COCONUT PALMS
Interview with Dr.B.N.S.Murthy Chairman, CDB
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NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN COCONUT
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Contents
VOLUME 4 ISSUE 01 JANUARY 2018 ` 100 PAGES 100
Editor-in-Chief MC Dominic Directors Shiny Dominic MG Vasan Editor Ajith Kumar V R Sr. Executive Editors Dr. KT Chandy RK Teotia Jayakumar Technical Editors Dr. B C Biswas Dr. Mahendra Pal (Vet. Sci.) Assistant Editors Ruby Jain Karthika.B.P Associate Editors Sreeja.S.Nair Monika Mondal Dr. Sangeeta Soi Sr. Correspondent Imran Khan Correspondent Vibhuti Narayan
Sr. Marketing Executives Chunki Bhutia Poonam Bishwakarma Rinki Pundir Laxmi Pandey Hema Sharma Priyanka Circulation Head Nishant K Taak Sr. Circulation Manager Rahul Singh Asst. Circulation Manager Prashant Sharma Sr. Circulation Executives Pappu Rai Furkan Qureshi Pawan Kumar Tarun Singh Accounts Abdus Samad Head Pre-Press Alka Gupta Yogesh Kumar
Social Media Head Aniket Sinha
Graphic Designers AnilRaj Nasim Ansari Atul Batham
Sr. Correspondent (Social Media) Sameer Tiwari
Legal Advisors James P. Thomas H. S. Asmuddin
Video Editor Rishav
Sketch Sathish Thoprath
V. P. Intl. Business DD Nair (Russia & CIS Countries) 6 Mikluho-Maklaya STR, Moscow, Russia 117198 Mob: +7903729 98 30, Tel: +7499501 99 10 Email: ddnair@krishijagran.com Gavrilova Maria
Printed and Published by: M. C. Dominic 60/9, 3rd Floor, Yusuf Sarai Market, Near Green Park Metro Station, New Delhi 110016. Tel: 011-26511845, 26517923 Mobile: +91-9313301029, +91-9654193353 Web: www.krishijagran.com
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V. P. Strategic Alliance Ratnamanjari Sharan Sr. Manager Special Initiatives Harsh Kapoor GM - Marketing Farha Khan Marketing Head Sanjay Kumar Sr. Marketing Managers K J Saranya Sara Khan Marketing Managers Megha Sharma Dhanya M.T. Saritha B. P.
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No. B 2, Sector-63, Noida-201301, Distt: Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P.
All rights reserved. Copyright @ Krishi Jagran Media Group. Agriculture World is published by Krishi Jagran Media Group. Editor in Chief: MC Dominic Disclaimer: While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of the information contained in this publications, the publishers are not responsible for any errors or omissions that might have crept into this publications. No part of this publication may be reproduced or kept in a retrieval system, without the express permission of the publishers.
20 Interview with Dr B.N. S Murthy
Chairman CDB
V.R.Ajith Kumar
,
26 CDB - A Driving Force in Coconut Industry 34 Nutrient Management
in Coconut
Dr V. Krishnakumar
50 Scientific Management of Young Coconut Palms M. Shareefa, Reji Jacob Thomas & A. Abdul Haris
56 Integrated Coconut Development Scheme
in Kerala Vishnu S P
68 Weed Management under the regime of
Climate Change
Bhumesh Kumar & P. K Singh
76 GAP for Sustainable Agriculture & Rural
development Prof. Pranab Hazra
82 Moringa: the Sacred Tree Suresh Muthukulam
86 Interview with Ramesh Chand
Monika Mondal, Imran Khan & Vibhuthi Narayan
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Editorial
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resent studies on the future of coconut provide a mixed indication. Demand for coconuts is booming but the ageing trees threaten to curtail world supply. Planting in new areas like northern Australia proves the importance coconut products getting world wide. Demand for coconuts has grown by more than 500 per cent in the past decade. Coconut water is now a $300 million-plus global industry. World prices for coconut oil have more than doubled in the past five years.90 per cent of global coconut supply comes from Asia. Now, countries which suit the climate for coconut trees are trying to plant it in a big way. Among the consumers, especially that of the western world, are developing a taste for coconut. Health conscious consumers have special taste for high-value products like coconut water and virgin coconut oil. Strong niche markets are also emerging for coconut-based snacks, milk, yoghurt and ice cream, as well as coconut flour and coconut sugar, while demand for the traditional desiccated coconut remains solid.Since the demand for special products from coconut is high, the focus from coconut oil should be shifted in a big way as the competition is high in the oil field . Though India’ share of the world’s coconut acreage is 17 percent, it produces 32 percent of the world’s 73 billion nuts because productivity per hectare is two-and-a-half-times more than the next big producers – Indonesia and the Philippines. To secure the future of 10 million coconut growers, most of them small holders in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, who produced 80 percent of the country’s output of 23.35 billion nuts in 2012-13, it is vital that coconut finds added-value uses. Virgin coconut oil and Neera, the sap of the inflorescence are the major income boosters. Farmers have to tap the advantage of coconut farming which has ample room for other crops like pepper, betel, areca nut, banana and pineapple. While a coconut-only farm yields about Rs 40,000 a hectare, with multiple crops the income can be 10 times as much. We have to educate farmers in these counts. Coconut Development Board has began a three pronged activity to promote coconut plantation and the industry. First is the extension of cultivation of the crop in more areas both in traditional and non-traditional areas. Second is the increase in area, production and productivity of coconut in the country . Third is to solve the problems of low income from the coconut holdings due to price fluctuations, decline in the prices of coconut and its products .The stiff import duties imposed on the edible oils and restricted import of the coconut products played an important role in keeping the domestic price high. The industry has not able to unleash its true potential mainly because of its oil driven market. However by realizing the imperative need to become competitive, the industry is now undergoing modernization, product diversification and by-product utilization and restructuring process. Consumer demands for varied high value coconut products are tremendously increasing and hence the domestic industries have become vibrant. This in turn would help make the industry globally competitive. Wishing all the readers and well wishers a happy 2018 !
MC Dominic Editor-in-Chief
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International news
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Healthy soil for food security
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he United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has urged the need of conservation of soils to attain food security and to mitigate climate change “Soil is the foundation of agriculture, it is where food begins,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo on World Soil Day on 5th December. “Maintaining the soil’s important functions and ecosystem services to support food production and increase resilience to a changing climate calls for sustainable soil management practices,” she stressed. Soil organic matter, with carbon as its main component, is crucial to soil health and fertility as well as water infiltration and retention. Almost 95% of food is produced on soils and worldwide, nearly 80% of the average calories consumption per person comes from crops directly grown in the soil. The world’s soils also act as the largest terrestrial carbon sink, reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. According to FAO, soils can sequester around 20 000 megatonnes of carbon in 25 years, more than 10% of the greenhouse gas emissions. Intensifying this role could significantly offset the rapid rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. At the World Soil Day FAO launched a comprehensive global map showing the amount
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of carbon stocks in the world’s soils. The map illustrates that globally, the first 30 centimetres of soil contains around 680 billion tonnes of carbon. FAO warned that the degradation of one third of the world’s soils has already prompted an enormous release of carbon into the atmosphere. However, by restoring these soils up to 63 billion tonnes of carbon could be removed from the atmosphere, significantly reducing the effects of climate change. According to FAO, soils with high organic carbon content are likely to be more productive, better able to purify water and provide plants with optimal moisture conditions. Increasing soil organic carbon by improved management can help maintain productivity in drier conditions. This could be achieved through sustainable soil management, including mulching, planting cover crops, and moderate irrigation. Protecting the world’s soils is also fundamental for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land). The aim of SDG 15 is to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
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National news
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to support dairy business
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ational Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has introduced a new scheme to bring structural changes in the unorganized sector of dairy farming. It aims to setting up of modern dairy farms and providing employment opportunities for individuals.. The important features and specifications of the scheme: • Farmers, individuals, self-help groups, companies etc. can apply for this scheme. • An individual entrepreneur is eligible for one time assistance on all the components. • More than one family member can be assisted under this scheme provided that they set up different dairy unit parted by at least 500 m distance. Objectives of the scheme • To promote setting up of modern dairy farms for production of clean milk • To encourage heifer calf rearing, thereby conserving good breeding stock • To bring structural changes in the unorganised sector so that initial processing of milk can be taken up at the village level itself • To upgrade the quality and traditional technology to handle milk on a commercial scale • To generate self-employment and provide infrastructure mainly for unorganised sector Financial Assistance: • For Establishment of small dairy unit with 2-10 cattle (cows and buffaloes) • An investment of INR 6 Lakh is needed for a unit of 10 animals. NABARD will provide a subsidy of INR 1.5 Lakh for General category and 1.98 Lakh for SC/ST individuals. Maximum amount has been fixed at INR 15,000 (20,000 for SC/ST farmers) in the case of a single(one) animal unit. • Rearing of Heifer Cows up to 20 calves • Investment needed is INR 5.50 Lakh for 20 calves and subsidy is INR 1.37 Lakh for General category and
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INR 1.83 Lakh for SC/ST individuals. Maximum permissible subsidy is INR 33,000 (44,000 for SC/ST farmers) for 5 calves. • Purchase of milking machines/milk testers/chilling machines • Investment is INR 20 Lakh and subsidy is INR 5 Lakh for General category and INR 6.67 Lakh for SC/ST individuals. • Purchase of dairy processing equipment producing indigenous milk products • Investment is INR 13.2 Lakh and subsidy is INR 3.3 Lakh for General category and INR 4.40 Lakh for SC/ST farmers. • For dairy products transportation facilities and cold chain • Investment is INR 26.50 Lakh and subsidy is INR 6.625 Lakh for General category and INR 8.830 Lakh for SC/St farmers. • For cold storage facilities • Investment is INR 33 Lakh and subsidy is INR 8.25 Lakh for General category and INR 11 Lakh for SC/ST farmers. • Note: The subsidy has been calculated on the basis of 25% for General category and 33.33% for SC/ST farmers. Documents required: • The individual should not be a bank defaulter. • Land paper for mortgage in the case of loan amount exceeding to INR 1 Lakh. • Category certificate. How it works? • Decide which farm activity you plans to establish • Register your company • Make a detailed business/project plan for the dairy farm (include a bank loan request too in the proposal and the loan sanctioning depends upon this draft). • Submit your request to any bank which are eligible for refinance from NABARD. SOURCE : INDIANIRIS , NABARD www.krishijagran.com
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Neem seeds for extra income
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eem is a tree, whose each and every part is useful in one or other manner. Consider the leaves, stem, birch , bark or seeds etc, all of its parts has medicinal and anti- bacterial properties. And now, neem has been using as a soil nutrient. Neem coated urea is the most effective and efficient form of urea. After prime minister Modi’s stress on using the neem based urea on the Indian land, the significance and importance of neem has been highlighted by many folds. It has been made mandatory for all the imports and production of urea in the country to be neem based. Co-operatives like IFFCO has its special focus for neem coated urea. The MD and CEO of IFFCO, Dr. U S Awasthi with his efforts, have planted 40 lakh neem in the duration of 2 years. IFFCO at its own level also has invested a lot in planting neem saplings. As already mentioned above, since the country is only expecting neem based urea now, it makes one to ponder : Do we have enough neem trees in the country ?The simple answer to the above question, is no, we don’t have enough neem . But the efforts to increase the number of neem trees is tremendous.
Farmers are encouraged to grow neem along with their usual cropping. Interspersing crop plantations with trees can lead to better ecological diversity, improve soil quality and reduce erosion, offer additional income opportunities and provide firewood and animal fodder. Rural communities often rely on forests for 14
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firewood and often spend considerable amounts of time collecting it. The neem tree does not need extensive care for growing and the Indian climate is favorable for its growth. At the road sides, neem trees are generally seen whose nimboli and leaves otherwise go wasted since not much of its importance is known. The otherwise wasted neem seed and nimboli can be sold at a handsome price of Rs.15/kg. Neem plant generally takes 10 years to bear fruits. A research project is on-going in Dehradun, where a variety of neem is being developed which could grow in least time and bear fruits before 10 years of current duration.3 year of that research has already passed and good results are expected by 2018. Once the research is completed the seeds of the neem variety would be made available to the farmers. On a rough average, 1 neem tree has the potential of giving Rs. 600 annually and 20 trees can fetch more than Rs. 12000 easily. This is the money generated by only selling the nimboli. The other neem products like leaves, bark are also used in cosmetic industries which too can be used to get cash benefits. Many farmers are coming forward to opt for neem which could be a good secondary source of income for farmers. Farmers can also sell thier products by logging in to IFFCO Kisan website : https://www.iffcobazar.in/ -
Report by Monika www.krishijagran.com
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Drones for spraying
PESTICIDES S
praying pesticides by using drones is the innovative technique used in the field of agriculture. Drone technology based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has ability for smooth scouting over farm fields, gathering precise information and transmitting the data on real time basis. This capability could be used for the benefit of farming sector at regional, local scale for assessing land and crop health; extent, type and severity of damage besides issuing forewarning, post-event management and settlement of compensation under crop insurance schemes. Drones are used to spray pesticides to prevent the spread of plant diseases. By using the drone ,pesticides can be sprayed in the farmland in just half an hour. The drone also helps to check on the number of fruits ready to be plucked from each tree. Farmers would know the exact location where the
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fruits are ready for the harvest and number of fruits in each tree. This facility shall save time of farmers and improve the efficiency in harvesting. The drone can be used in any horticulture and floriculture farms. Drones help to monitor the diseases of longer trees like coconut farms using high definition cameras fixed to it, where, it is difficult for humans to climb the tree. The drones can easily sprinkle pesticides on these trees. Drones can monitor the crop quality with thermal sensors. By integrating advanced image processing units to the drones, they can make miracles in agri industry. Various nations started using drones in various fields, especially in agriculture. In India Andhra Pradesh has started using drones for spaying pesticides in agriculture field. Report by Asha sadasiv JANUARY 2018
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Role of Tea Board to be tweaked soon
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he commerce ministry is in the process of modifying Tea Board, said a senior official. Instead of merely giving subsidy, the Tea Board of India should look at the general promotion of the industry. The cost of administering the subsidies (through Tea Board) outweighs the quantum of subsidy given to the industry, said Santosh Sarangi, Joint Secretary (plantations), Commerce Ministry. “The role of Tea Board will change from being a subsidy disbursement body to an entity which would closely work with the industry”, he said. He said the overall turnover of the tea industry was huge, and therefore, it is not required for the government to dole out subsidies. “The cost of administering the subsidies through Tea Board outweighs the quantum of subsidy itself,” Sarangi, former deputy chairman of Tea Board, said at the AGM of Indian Tea Association (ITA). According to Sarangi, future orientation of Tea Board should be on quality and sustainability of the produce and the industry. Citing the instance of Rubber Board, he said the subsidy amount was Rs 30 crore, while the administrative costs were Rs 100 crore. He said that big players have failed in marketing it overseas. “There is a need for big players to set up blending and packaging units overseas for which the government will give an assistance,” he said. Apart from working on generic promotion of tea industry, Tea Board should also help setting up packaging and blending units overseas to promote exports, said PK Bezboruah, Chairman, Tea Board. Exports had been flat at around 230 million kilograms, which should go up to 260 million kilograms, Sarangi said. The commerce ministry had also sought financial assistance from the finance ministry for the relief of Darjeeling tea industry which was badly affected owing to a prolonged shutdown. -Report by Asha Sadasiv
Seed fest at KANNUR
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he 7th edition of Seed Festival , the flagship event of Fair Trade Alliance Kerala will be held in the Payyannur village of Kannur,Kerala from January 19 to 23. The focus of seed fest 2018 is community seed bank. The festival is envisaged as a focused effort at displaying ,exchanging and preserving all sorts of seeds,planting materials, indigenous live stock, medicinal plants, indigenous and wild trees etc. It will be a venue for the sharing of experiences and knowledge related to preservation and propogation of indigenous seeds. Various seminars,workshops on value addition, seed conservation techniques and cultural events will take place on the side lines. FTAK consider it as an occasion to exchange and buy indigenous seeds , acquaint themselves with the seed and crop diversity of the land as well as to get introduced to and join seed conservation efforts. FTAK is an organization of more than 4500 organic farmers which promotes the traditional and indigenous farming system. Contact : 0460-2238233/ Emailfairtradealliance@gmail.com
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News
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FAREWELL TO MANMOHAN ATTAVAR M an of I n d ian Ho r t i c u l t u re
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n 12 December 2017, India lost a recognized and renowned name in the world of horticulture, Dr. Manmohan Attavar. Manmohan Attavar ( 12 July 1932 - 12 December 2017) was an Indian horticulturist, plant breeder, writer and the founder of Indo American Hybrid Seeds (IAHS), an organization engaged in scientific plant breeding and horticulture. He founded the enterprise in 1965 and the organization, headquartered in Bengaluru, has grown to include 9 regional centres across India. He served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Commerce and the Federation of International Seedsmen, Switzerland and has been a director
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of the National Horticultural Board. He has co-authored a book, Floriculture : technology, trades, and trends, which was published by Oxford and IBH Publishing House in 1994. Attavar is a recipient of several awards such as Dr. M. H. Marigowda National Award, APEDA Award, Golden Jubilee International Award of the International Chrysanthemum Society, California and ISF Award. The Government of Karnataka awarded him the Rajyotsava Prashasthi in 1991. He received the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India in 1998 for his contributions to the field of Horticulture. Report by Monika
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CLIMATE CHANGE Nagaland turning to its traditional crops
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n order to challenge the changing climate, Nagaland government is now turning to its traditional food crops which can resist the rising temperature and water stressed conditions. The state government has initiated a project called “gene pool conservation of indigenous rice varieties under traditional integrated rotational farming system for promoting livelihood and food security as climate change adaptation strategy.” The 24 crore project will be supported by the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change. This will be implemented in one village in each selected block in five districts - Tuensang, Wokha, Zunheboto, Mokokchung and Kohima – over the next three years.
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Under the projects, field gene banks will be developed for conservation and research of promising varieties, and seed exchange programme will be initiated with the involvement of communities engaged in both jhum and terrace cultivation. Selected promising seeds varieties will then be disseminated to farmers across the state. The State Agriculture Research Station (SARS) has identified 867 traditional ‘land races’ of rice at Mokokchung. These rice varieties are broadly categorised as glutinous, brown and aromatic and most of them are grown under the jhum or shifting cultivation system practised by different Naga tribes in the state.
Generate Electricity from Onion Skin
nergy and to be particular electricity crisis is one of the few constant things in the country and the world. But for this, we can find a solution from onion skin. According to a recent research, onion skin was found perfect to be used in nanogenerator since they have piezoelectric properties. Piezoelectric property is the ability by which materials can generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. The Indian Institutes of Technology are known for their experiment and research wings for producing and trying out new solutions for the existing problems and yet again the institute has www.krishijagran.com
proven its worth. IIT Kanpur has its focused research for the alternative sources of energy generation, which has led to this energy generation search out of onion skins. Onion being an everyday household item, the source of these onion skins can be readily available. These are also the readily available source of bio-waste. Studies also found that various biomedical instruments such as pacemakers or devices to track health conditions can be made by using such organic inputs. Report by Monika JANUARY 2018
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Dr B.N. S Murthy, Chairman CDB
Aiming to ensure reasonable income FOR COCONUT FARMERS
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oconut Development Board is the interlinking agency among farmers, scientists ,industrialists and technological institutes .It controls the export-import strategies and all policies related to coconut farming and industry. Dr.B.N.S.Murthy, Chairman of CDB shares his thoughts with Agriculture World on CDB’s role in promoting coconut products and by-products all over the world and the future strategies of the organization 20
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What are the initiatives taken up by CDB for increasing coconut productivity? CDB is keen on increasing the productivity of coconut in the country. To encourage the farmers for adopting integrated management practices including timely plant protection measures, a scheme ‘Laying out of Demonstration Plots’ is being implemented with a financial assistance of Rs. 35000/- per hectare. The Demonstration Plots are expected to www.krishijagran.com
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WORLD Coconut and coconut products are gaining global importance as a contributing factor to the health, nutrition and wellness of human beings. This is due to its multiple medicinal and nutraceutical properties. The goodness of coconut is being realized which has brought in an unprecedented increase in demand of coconut products in domestic and international markets
the All India estimate for the year 2016-17, the area and production of coconut in the country is 2.096 million hectares and 22237.99 million nuts respectively. India contributes to 30.49% of world coconut production and enjoys the first position in terms of production. 75.60 % of area under coconut and 74.55 % of production are contributed by three leading coconut growing countries viz., India, Indonesia and Philippines. India ranks second in terms of productivity (10349 nuts per ha) next to Brazil (11574 nuts per ha), among the major coconut growing countries.
motivate farmers in adoption of result oriented production technologies. The scheme is implemented through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in coconut sector on a cluster basis. The old, senile and severely disease affected palms are being replaced with improved cultivars and existing palms are nourished under Board’s scheme ‘Replanting & Rejuvenation’ The farmer related extension activities of the Board also stress the need for scientific coconut cultivation for increased productivity. Coconut scenario in domestic and global market. In India, coconut is predominantly a small holder’s crop with about 98% coconut holdings owned by small and marginal farmers. The crop is cultivated in 17 States and 3 Union Territories located in different parts of the country. As per www.krishijagran.com
Coconut and coconut products are gaining global importance as a contributing factor to the health, nutrition and wellness of human beings. This is due to its multiple medicinal and nutraceutical properties. The goodness of coconut is being realized which has brought in an unprecedented increase in demand of coconut products in domestic and international markets. What are the strategies adopted by Coconut Development Board to address the increasing demand of value added products? Coconut industry is a sun rise industry with unlimited potential for processing and value addition. The demand for coconut value added products is on an increasing trend. The Technology Mission on Coconut programme of Coconut Development Board is exclusively for diverting the use of raw coconuts to value added coconut products so that the value added coconut products could compete with the traditional products in controlling and stabilizing the prices of raw coconuts and for providing the competitive and remunerative price to the farmers. JANUARY 2018
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The Technology Mission on Coconut programme is providing financial assistance as back ended subsidy to the tune of 25% of capital cost limited to a ceiling of Rs. 50 lakh per project. The scheme also helps the existing coconut industries to enhance the capacity of units which are having the necessary infrastructure facilities
Under the scheme TMOC, CDB is providing financial assistance as back ended subsidy to the tune of 25% of capital cost limited to a ceiling of Rs. 50 lakh per project. The scheme also helps the existing coconut industries to enhance the capacity of units which are having the necessary infrastructure facilities. Through this scheme, Board has extended assistance to 450 Coconut Processing Units with Infrastructure facilities worth Rs. 567.28 cr for processing 2695.16 million nuts per year by providing a financial assistance of Rs. 89.14 cr. Relevance of organic practice of coconut cultivation and major challenges Organic farming system and organically produced products have gained much importance in the present day food habits of the people across the world. The global demand for organic coconut products like tender coconut, virgin coconut oil, etc. is gradually growing up. Application of organic manures like Vermicompost, crop biomass, raising and incorporation of green manure legumes in coconut basins, cultivation of green leaf manures such as neem, pungam, glyricidia, bio-fertilizers, cultural practices like mulching, half moon bunding, catch pit preparation etc., are some of the effective low cost organic practices which are effective in utilization of natural resources for enhancing coconut production in a sustainable manner. The balanced ratio of pest & disease attack influenced by the bio-control measures as part of organic farming can lower the management costs. The farmers will be in advantage of the improved soil fertility and experience gradual increase in yields. Coconut Development Board through its various schemes are encouraging 22
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organic cultivation of coconut. Lack of awareness among the farmers about organic farming, poor marketing facilities exclusively for organic products, long conversion period for organic certification, production of lesser quantities of organic coconut products, risks involved in export standards for organic products, etc. are the major challenges in organic coconut farming. The Government is working in resolving those issues. Steps to explore the R&D opportunities in this sector Research and Development effort in the post harvest processing of coconut is a key area where the Board is concentrating since its establishment in 1981. Through convergence with renowned research institutions like CFTRI Mysore, DFRL Mysore and CPCRI Kasargod many technologies have been developed and commercialized under sponsored research projects of the Board. These technologies have helped in increasing the product diversification and value addition of coconut. Technologies have been developed for processing and packing of flavored coconut milk and culinary coconut milk, production of spray dried coconut milk, preservation and packing of tender coconut water, production of coconut vinegar from www.krishijagran.com
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matured coconut water, dietary fibre from coconut residue, production of virgin coconut oil through cold process, nata-de-coco, coconut chips, technology for production of cheaper and healthier blends of coconut oil with other vegetable oils, preservation and packaging of coconut neera and its value added products, a hygienic harvesting process & an appropriate process technology for sustaining quality of coconut neera as nutritive drink, formulation of health mixes with coconut milk powder and coconut flour etc. Besides, the Board is extending assistance for management of insect pests and disease affected gardens, development of technologies, demonstration of technologies and for adoption of technologies. How do you visualize the marketing possibilities? Coconut is versatile fruit and every part of it is useful to mankind. Copra and coconut oil are the traditional kernel based products and both these products are having very good demand. Dry coconut and coconut oil are having export demand from many countries. Desiccated Coconut Powder (DCP), frozen grated coconut, sliced coconut etc are also being exported in huge quantity from our country. India’s export of DC was confined only to Middle East, Africa, Iran www.krishijagran.com
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and few countries with large Indian population. Now Indian DC is being exported to the US and European market in huge quantities. Considering the huge infrastructure available in the country for manufacturing DC, India could very well export around 50,000MT of DC per annum, which is currently 15,000MT. Coconut milk powder and milk cream are the other products which are likely to make quick penetration in the market in view of its ease of use and keeping quality. These products have started gaining acceptance in the domestic market and the market is expected to grow widely within a short period. Currently the market for matured coconut water is too small in size, but it is widely used for making vinegar, beverages and nata de coco and these products are becoming popular in the domestic and international markets. Since few big groups have entered in the domestic coconut water market with attractive packaging and flavor comparable with fresh tender coconut water, its market is expected to grow considerably in the coming years. In view of bulkiness of fresh tender coconut and the difficulty of disposal of the waste, marketability of tender coconut in its natural form has got limitations. However, the technology for preservation and packing of tender coconut jointly developed by DFRL and JANUARY 2018
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Since coconut and coconut products are having very good demand across the globe, there is no reason to foresee any significant downward swing in price, even in the event of the improved supply situation Board has changed the scenario and now tender coconut water in convenient format could be made available anywhere without causing any inconvenience. Two dozen units have already come up in the country using the Board’s technology and few more are expected to come up in the country. Coconut shell and its products are also having very good domestic and export demand. The major product which is manufactured from coconut shell is Activated Carbon (AC) and India is leading the world in its production and export. During the year 2016-17, India exported Activated carbon worth Rs.815 crores. This current year export of AC in value terms is expected to touch the level of 1000 crores. Besides the huge domestic market, Indian coir products are enjoying very good overseas market. In value terms, the export of coir and coir products from India during the year 2016-17 was Rs.2300 crores, which is expected to register a growth of 15-20% in the year 2017-18. Unlike in the past, more value added coconut products are available in the country and there is 24
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reasonable demand for these products. Hence finding markets for these products is not a big task. Nevertheless, the Board is taking all efforts to popularize coconut based products across the country and abroad. As part of market promotion activities, Board is regularly participating in popular national and international trade fairs/exhibitions etc. and facilitating the entrepreneurs to showcase their products. Along with trade fairs Board is arranging B2B and B2C meets also which is really paying dividends to entrepreneurs. Board is carrying out generic market promotion activities with more focus on new value added coconut products in a moderate scale through various media. Fluctuations in the prices of coconut products are severe nowadays and farmers’ roles are insignificant in determining the product value. How will you evaluate the situation? The price of coconut and coconut products had been too volatile till recently. Now the situation is showing signs of change. The current price situation shows an upward trend in price which is mainly due to supply constraints of coconut products in the market. As a result of www.krishijagran.com
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There will definitely be great prospects for the coconut industry as a whole in the country. The health and nutraceutical benefits of tender coconut, coconut neera and other coconut products will attract the consumers across the globe
Board’s long term plans.
adverse agro climatic conditions prevailed in the major coconut growing states during the previous year, the production of coconut has slightly decreased and the domestic market is now facing shortage of coconut and coconut products. Owing to the increase in the export of fresh coconut and coconut products to overseas market despite domestic supply constraints, the price hiked to an unprecedented level. The supply situation is expected to come to normal by April 2018 and the price will come down to the level, which may not vary much with the international price. Since coconut and coconut products are having very good demand across the globe, there is no reason to foresee any significant downward swing in price, even in the event of improved supply situation. Since coconut is a small holders crop and more than 98% of the coconut farmers are small and marginal, their role is insignificant in determining the product value. However, this situation would change, once the large number of Farmer Producer Organization formed across the major coconut growing states start product aggregation and value addition. The Coconut Producer Companies already formed in the country with coconut farmers as its stakeholders are expected to enter into coconut processing sector in a big way, which is expected to pave the way for making the role of farmers significant in determining the product value.
There will definitely be great prospects for the coconut industry as a whole in the country. The health and nutraceutical benefits of tender coconut, coconut neera and other coconut products will attract the consumers across the globe. Board is planning to make maximum quality coconut seedlings of improved varieties suited to different agro climatic coconut growing regions of the country. The initiative of the Board in encouraging formation of FPOs in coconut sector is expected to bridge the gap in input supply for these units. The ultimate aim of the Board is to ensure a fair, steady and reasonable price to each and every coconut farmer.
Genetic Secrets Decoded: NEW ERA FOR COCONUT SECTOR
A
group of Indian scientists have decoded the genetic secrets of coconut tree. The identified genes include those which define the height of the tree, colour of the fruit, vulnerability to certain diseases and the quality and quantity of the oil. The research was carried out jointly by scientists from the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) in Kasaragod and National Research Centre for Plant Biotechnology (NRCPB), NewDelhi in coconut variety called Chavakkad Green Dwarf (Pachakkullan). Experts in agriculture sector observe that the research will enhance the productivity and evoke the possibilities of the production of hybrid varieties. Karthika.B.P
Future prospects of coconut industry and www.krishijagran.com
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Coconut Industry
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CDB A Driving Force in
COCONUT INDUSTRY
V.R.Ajith Kumar
Editor, Agriculture World
C
oconut Development Board (CDB) – the statutory body established by the Government of India for the integrated development of coconut production and utilization in the country with focus on productivity increase and product diversification. Headquartered at Kochi in Kerala, CDB has regional offices at Bangalore,Chennai,Guwahati and Patna. There are five State Centres situated at Pitapally, Kolkata,Thane,Vijayawada and Port Blair .The Board has 10 Demonstration cum Seed Production (DSP) Farms in different locations of the country . A Market Development cum Information Centre has established in Delhi. The Board has set up a Technology Development Centre at Vazhakulam near Aluva in Kerala and a Field office at Thiruvananthapuram. Major functions of CDB are as follows :
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Adopting measures for the development of coconut industry, inter alia.
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Imparting technical advice to those engaged in coconut cultivation and industry.
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Providing financial and other assistance for the expansion of area under coconut.
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Encouraging adoption of modern technologies for processing of coconut and its products.
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Adopting measures to get incentive prices for coconut and its products.
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Recommending measures for improving marketing of coconut and its products.
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Recommending measures for regulating imports and exports of coconut and its products.
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In pursuit of making the Indian coconut products accessible to consumers across the world, there have been significant changes in the domestic markets in terms of product developments and deep market integration.
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Fixing grades, specifications and standards for coconut and its products.
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Financing suitable schemes to increase the production of coconut and to improve the quality and yield of coconut.
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Assisting, encouraging, promoting and financing agricultural, technological, industrial or economic research on coconut and its products.
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Collecting statistics on coconut and its products and publishing them.
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Undertaking publicity activities and publishing books and periodicals on coconut and its products.
coconut based products such as Spray dried coconut milk powder ,Packing and preservation of tender coconut water ,Coconut water based vinegar ,Aqueous processed coconut oil and Virgin coconut oil
Thrust areas of the Board are given below:
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increasing the production of quality planting material.
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Creating future production potential by bringing more area under coconut.
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Improving productivity of existing coconut holdings.
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Integrated management of major pests and diseases.
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Strengthening coconut industry by promoting product diversification and by-product utilization.
Pioneer in Technology Coconut Development Board is the pioneer organisation for coconut technology development in India.
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Technical guidance to entrepreneurs in setting up coconut based units.
Quality testing plant Facilities for chemical analysis of copra, coconut oil and coconut vinegar are available at the Technology Development Centre ,Keenpuram,South Vazhakulam, Aluva, Ernakulam. Pin-683 105 Phone: 0484-2679680, citaluva@gmail.com. CDB also provides training for women entrepreneurs and self help groups at the technical Centre . The objectives of the programme are as follows:
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To focus attention on the huge potential for coconut convenience foods and range of product recipes.
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Undertaking project feasibility studies and preparation of detailed project reports.
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To impart training skills, entrepreneurship development, leadership qualities and marketing tips.
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Providing technical know-how for
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To familiarize the participants about
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WORLD high. Hence the structural rigidities in the coconut industry have been keeping a hold on its performance. The industry has not able to unleash its true potential mainly because of its oil driven market. However by realizing the imperative need to become competitive, the industry is now undergoing modernization, product diversification and byproduct utilization and restructuring process. Consumer demands for varied high value coconut products are tremendously increasing and hence the domestic industries have become vibrant. This in turn would help make the industry globally competitive. Advances made Consequent to the liberalization of the Indian economy, the domestic industry has not been catching up commensurating with the growth of other world leaders like Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. However, new vistas could be opened up in value addition and products development due to the timely interventions and concerted efforts of the organizations like Coconut Development Board, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Regional Research Laboratory, SAUs etc. by development and infusion of appropriate technologies which have resulted in value addition in coconut and emergence of variety of products in edible and non-edible sector.
quality control operations & quality management systems being followed in food processing industries.
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To gain an insight into various packaging systems for preservation of coconut convenience foods.
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Progress in coconut sector
The progress of the Indian Coconut Sector during the last two decades can be classified into three distinct categories. First is the progress achieved in extending the cultivation of the crop in more areas both in traditional and non-traditional areas. Second is the increase in area, production and productivity of coconut in the country with the regress in the consumption of coconut oil in both edible and non-edible sector which warranted the need for the development of broad based processing technologies for the sustainable growth of the industry. Third is the problems of low income from the coconut holdings due to price fluctuations, decline in the prices of coconut and its products which necessitated the need for the development of appropriate coconut based farming systems to enhance the farm level income. The stiff import duties imposed on the edible oils and restricted import of the coconut products played an important role in keeping the domestic price www.krishijagran.com
The economic globalization has made possible the integration of various regional markets into a world market encompassing the entire globe within its sphere. New coconut products from elsewhere in the world have been found prominent place in the product profiles of the food chain markets in the country. In pursuit of making the Indian coconut products accessible to consumers across the world, there have been significant changes in the domestic markets in terms of product developments and deep market integration. Viable processing technologies are now indigenously available in the country for manufacture of varied products based on coconut kernel, coconut water, husk, shell and coconut stem. The potential of coconut palm as a source of renewable energy is also being recognized. The emphasis given by the Coconut Development Board on evolving technologies for the development of new value added products has yielded results and the product diversification and byproduct utilization has gained momentum in the recent past. Various research programmes sponsored by the Board through the premier research institutions in the country led to the development of new technologies for the manufacture of coconut cream, spray dried coconut milk powder, preserved and packed tender water and JANUARY 2018
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coconut water based vinegar. The commercialization of these technologies has gained momentum consequent to the launching of Technology Mission on Coconut in 2001. Many processing units have been established in different parts of the country for the commercial production of products with the technologies so developed. Accelerated efforts of market promotion and product awareness have fuelled the pace of commercialization. Coconut economy Now the coconut economy of India is in a convenient status. India accounts for 22.34 per cent of the world’s coconut production and is one of the major players in the world’s coconut trade. Currently the crop is grown in 1.91 million ha with an annual production of nearly 13000 million nuts. Copra processing, coconut oil extraction and coir manufacturing are the traditional coconut based industries in the country. The price of the coconut in the country is dependent on the prevailing price of coconut oil which is characterized by recurring violent fluctuations. The behavior of coconut oil price is relatively dependent on overall supply of oils and fats in the country. The fluctuation in the price of the coconut oil simultaneously reflects on the price of coconut. The volatile price situation often ends in the negligence of the coconut gardens, leading to attack of pests and diseases and low productivity. Of the range of ways, promoting cost effective coconut based farming system, product diversification and value addition play a crucial role in the stabilization of the coconut oil driven domestic market and is essential for reorienting and engineering the Indian Coconut Industry cost effective and globally competitive.
WORLD There has been a well defined network in the country to undertake the R&D of coconut. The State Agricultural Universities, ICAR Institutes, Agriculture/ Horticulture Departments of States/ UTs, organizations like, NAFED, Kerafed, Marketfed, etc. and private institutions contribute to the pursuit of the research and development process of coconut in the country. Seed Production 7 Demonstration cum Seed Production (DSP) Farms in different parts of the country are established.A total area of 240 ha with the aim to produce quality seed nuts were established to demonstrate scientific coconut cultivation and processing. Setting up of coconut nurseries attached to the DSP farms to produce quality seedlings of desired cultivars/varieties suitable for each locality. Raised seedlings are distributed to farmers at reasonable price. Aid to registered/ private/ approved coconut nurseries are also provided. The financial assistance is limited to 25% of the cost of production or Rs.2 lakhs whichever is less. The minimum financial assistance of Rs.50000 is allotted for producing
The Coconut Development Board has been playing pivotal role in promoting viable coconut based farming system, on-farm processing and products development. The production and marketing of value added products have started attracting commercial interest and the situation brought rejuvenation in the sector. Price for coconut products has been on an upward trend. The market promotional measures undertaken in pursuit of the popularization of health benefits of coconut oil and tender coconut water have attributed a stimulating effect on the less dependency of coconut oil driven coconut economy. The concerted efforts of the Board in enhancing farm level income through productivity improvement and other production measures, product diversification and subsequent demand creations for the new products have resulted in a dynamic push to the industry for its sustained growth Thus the Board has, by now rendered yeomen service to the cause of the coconut industry. 30
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The production and marketing of value-added products have started attracting commercial interest and the situation brought rejuvenation in the sector. Price for coconut products has been on an upward. 6250 seedlings annually from 25 cents and maximum financial assistance of Rs.2 lakhs for producing 25000 seedlings from one acre. Establishment of Regional coconut nursery for supplementing the nursery programmes of the state government. The maximum financial assistance for setting up of regional coconut nursery in non traditional areas is 50% of cost of production. Aid to establish nuclear seed garden in private sector / registered / cooperative societies/ farmers’ associations. Maximum financial assistance is limited to Rs.6 lakhs to establish seed garden phased over a period of 3 years @ Rs.3 lakhs during the 1st year and Rs.1.50 lakhs each in second and third year respectively. The quantum of financial assistance is based on the total area of seed garden (maximum 4 ha) or limited to 25%
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of the cost of establishment of nuclear seed garden. Expansion of Area The small and marginal farmers are given incentive assistance for undertaking new planting of coconut and its further maintenance. The new planting assistance is given at the rate of Rs. 8,000 per hectare, which is disbursed in two equal annual installments.The programme is implemented by the Board through the Department of Agriculture/ Horticulture of various States/ UT’s as the cases may be. Application forms prescribed by the Board are supplied to various implementing offices of the State Government which in turn are distributed to the eligible farmers. The filled in applications
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The price of the coconut in the country is dependent on the prevailing price of coconut oil which is characterized by recurring violent fluctuations. The behaviour of coconut oil price is relatively dependent on the overall supply of oils and fats in the country. submitted by farmers after proper field verification are forwarded to the office of the Board concerned with proper recommendation of the implementing officers for further processing and sanction of subsidy. The Board after scrutiny of the applications, sanctions eligible subsidy and disburse the sum in the form of individual cheques/ demand drafts to the farmers through the same implementing offices. Integrated Farming for Productivity Improvement The objective of the programme is to improve production and productivity of the coconut holdings through an integrated approach and thereby increasing the net income from unit holdings with the following component programmes. Laying out of demonstration plots Financial assistance of Rs.35,000 per ha in two annual instalments is provided for adoption of integrated management practices in disease affected gardens. The objective of the programme is to encourage the farmers to adopt the technology developed for the management of disease affected coconut gardens. Demonstration plots will also help in motivate farmers in adoption of result oriented production technologies. Integrated Farming for Productivity Improvement on cluster basis The objective of the Coconut Clusters is increasing the production and productivity of coconut from unit holdings by proper and timely adoption of package of practices in a farmer participatory mode. This programme will facilitate the adoption of appropriate coconut based farming systems and promote farm level processing for value addition on a community basis. The scheme is being implemented by the Board on cluster basis in a contiguous area of appropriate size of 25-50 ha irrespective of the individual size of the holdings. The selection of the cluster is based on criteria such as demonstration value, easy accessibility, availability of minimum infrastructure facilities for the adoption of average management practices, cohesiveness of the group and most importantly the readiness of the farmers in the cluster to assume responsibility and implement the programme in a farmer 32
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participatory mode as per the Board’s guidelines. Assistance for organic manure units To promote the use of organic manure like vermicompost, coir pith compost, ordinary compost and FYM in coconut holdings. Financial assistance of Rs.20000 per unit or 50% of cost of production is provided for setting up of a unit.  Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme (CPIS) Coconut cultivation subjected to risks from climatic changes, natural disasters, pests, diseases etc. and, at times, entire coconut culwww.krishijagran.com
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tivation of a region, gets wiped out due to natural calamity or onset of pest attack. Coconut is a perennial crop and losses suffered by farmers due to damage of this crop are irrecoverable and needs to be addressed. Palm trees are characterized by periodic system of crop setting and outcomes and hence resemble seasonal annual crops and should, accordingly, eligible for insurance cover. Since coconut is cultivated under rain-fed management
WORLD iii) Minimize risk and encourage replanting and rejuvenation to make coconut farming remunerative. Applicability: The CPIS will be applicable to all healthy nut bearing coconut palms; grown as mono or intercropped; on bunds farms or homestead and to all varieties of coconut, including Tall, Dwarf and Hybrids. Since Dwarf and Hybrids begin to yield fruit from 4th year of planting, this variety of coconut palms in age range of 4-60 year will be covered under the scheme, but Tall variety coconut palms will be eligible for coverage for age range of 7-60 year. Unhealthy and senile palms will be excluded from coverage. Financial assistance under Technology Mission Coconut Development Board invites applications for Financial Assistance under Technology Mission on Coconut. Applications are invited from prospective entrepreneurs for setting up / modernizing / expanding coconut processing units and promoting value added coconut based products. Under Technology Mission on Coconut, financial assistance @ 25% of the project cost limited to a maximum of Rs.50 lakhs is extended as credit linked back ended subsidy for setting up of coconut processing units for production of value added coconut products. Modernization and expansion of existing processing units will also be eligible for assistance. The project for seeking assistance for setting up coconut processing unit should be submitted through the bank with a minimum of 40% of the project cost as term loan. Packed, Branded coconut oil with Agmark standards, Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO), dietary fibre, Desiccated coconut powder, Coconut chips, defatted coconut powder, snow ball tender coconut, coconut milk powder, coconut jaggery, coconut cream, activated carbon, coconut water based vinegar, shell charcoal, packed tender nut water, minimally processed tender coconut, shell powder, shell/wood based handicrafts and copra dryer are some of the items which will be considered for assistance. Financial assistance will also be available for new and innovative coconut based products, which are backed by commercially viable technologies.
and is susceptible to biotic and abiotic stresses. It is necessary to minimize risk faced by coconut farmers, predominantly small and marginal, by covering coconut palms with an insurance scheme. Objectives i) Assist coconut growers in insuring coconut palms, against natural and other perils. ii) Provide timely relief to farmers, who suffer income loss due to sudden death of palms. www.krishijagran.com
Financial assistance is provided for market promotion of coconut products through the media, participation in exhibitions / developing / hiring display facilities in super markets, adopting attractive packaging etc. @ 50% of the project cost limiting to Rs.10 lakhs for individuals and Rs.25 lakhs to co-operative organisations. Interested entrepreneurs can submit applications in the prescribed format along with project reports to the Chairman, Coconut Development Board, Kera Bhavan, Kochi 682 011. JANUARY 2018
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Nutrient Management
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NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN COCONUT
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Dr V.Krishnakumar Principal Scientist (Agronomy) & Head, ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kayamkulam- 690533
T
hough the natural habitat of coconut is the coastal belt of the tropics with predominance of sandy and red sandy loam soils, the palms perform equally well on other types of soils in the various parts of the country. Coconut can be cultivated in a wide range of soils ranging from sandy, sandy clay and loamy soil, having depth of more than one meter with provision to extract sufficient quantity of water and nutrients. The performance of coconut palms is closely linked to the health of the soil. The palms can thrive under soil pH range of 5.5–6.3 and 7.1–7.5. However, the optimum soil pH range is 6.4–7.0. Among the various plantation crops, coconut has unique features that once it starts flowering, the productive phase lasts throughout the year and all through its economic life, which may average seventy years. By nature of its growth, coconut palm demands continuous supply of nutrients from the soil to meet the requirement during the vegetative and reproductive phases. Therefore, for all its physiological functions, adequate water and nutrients should be available during the entire period. The importance of a soil nutrient for the palm changes as the palms grows as demanded by its physiological requirements. The order of nutrient requirement for young palms is found to be N > P > K > Mg while that for adult palms (fruit bearing trees), it is K>Mg>N>P. The importance of the primary nutrients (N, P and K) on coconut nutrition is found to be in the order of 2:1:3.
Nutrient management of plants in the nursery Usually there is no need to apply any inorganic fertilizers to the seedlings in the nursery as the seed nut contains adequate nutrients to meet the requirement of the growing plant, at least up to the field planting stage. However, if soil is of low fertility, fertilizer application may become necessary for better growth of seedlings. In such cases, application of fertilizers to the nursery in December, February and April to supply 40 kg N, 20 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per application under west coast conditions is recommended to produce good quality seedlings. Use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria based formulations such as ‘KerAM’ (Arbuscular Mycorrhizal bioinoculant) and ‘Kera Probio’ (talc formulation of Bacillus megaterium) @50 g per seedling can also promote robust growth of coconut seedlings and reduce seedling mortality. www.krishijagran.com
Nutrient management of young palms The young transplanted plants require adequate nutrients for better growth on all type of soils. Fertilizer application to the young plants is very much needed to ensure good development of bole, which is an important factor influencing the productivity of the palm, as it increases the rooting surface. Once the seedlings are planted in the main field, about 1/10th of recommended dosage of fertilizer for adult palm (i.e.500:320:1200 g N:P2O5: K2O per palm per year) may be applied after three months, 1/3rd during second year, 2/3rd during third year of growth and full dosage from 4th year onwards.
Nutrient management of adult palms Coconut is a perennial crop that exports nutrients to the above ground parts continuously from a limited volume of soil throughout its existence. The production phenology of coconut is such that once the palm starts flowering, it continues for decades by producing a spadix in the axil of each leaf every month and therefore, the yield in coconut depends largely on the number of leaves produced per year. During these years, considerable quantity of nutrients is removed from the soil. It is, therefore, essential that a balanced application of nutrients is made to realize high and sustainable yield. The general recommendation from ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute for fertilizing the adult palms is 500 g N, 320 g P205 and 1200 g K2O per palm per year. Straight fertilizers such as Urea for N, Mussorie phos for P and Muriate of Potash for K can be used for application. If the soil test value for phosphorus is >20 ppm, there is no need for its application. It is recommended to mix the required quantity of each fertilizer together only on the date of application. The recommendation for root (wilt) disease affected areas will be 500 g N, 300 g P205 and 1000 g K2O per palm per year. Application of magnesium sulphate @ 1000 g per palm is advantageous for root (wilt) disease affected palms to reduce yellowing and improve the palm vigour. Soil acidity is reported to be a major chemical constraint for crop production in Kerala. Microbial activity will be retarded under strongly acidic conditions and as root growth is also impaired, absorption of nutrients will be adversely affected. When soil pH is less than 6.0, application of lime or dolomite @ 1000 g per palm two weeks prior to the application of JANUARY 2018
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By nature of its growth, coconut palm demands a continuous supply of nutrients from the soil to meet the requirement during the vegetative and reproductive phases. Therefore, for all its physiological functions, adequate water and nutrients should be available during the entire period. fertilizers is recommended. This will increase the use efficiency of the added nutrients as well as regulate the activity of microorganisms. Deficiency of boron, which is an important micronutrient for coconut, is found to exist in many coconut growing areas. It causes characteristic malformation of leaves developing into hooked leaves; barren nuts and nut cracking; drying of inflorescences as well as female flowers etc. Soil application of borax @ 120 g to 180 g per palm in four splits is recommended in such areas. Apply vermicompost or FYM @20 kg per palm along with borax to enrich the organic matter status in soil thereby to prevent the leaching loss of the applied nutrient. It is always beneficial to carry out soil analysis to find out the nutrient supplying capacity of soil. Such soil analysis can form the basis for developing site specific nutrient recommendations and it will help in the balanced use of fertilizer inputs, reduce cost of cultivation and prevent environmental pollution.
Period of fertilizer application The period of fertilizer application in India is linked with the south west monsoon in the west coast and north east monsoon and local irrigation facilities on the east coast and inland areas. In areas where coconut is cultivated depending on rainfall, application of fertilizers, 36
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in general, is to be made in two splits every year, 1/3rd of the recommended dose after the pre monsoon showers and the remaining 2/3rd fertilizer dose applied in September-October when the monsoon rains recedes (Table 1). However, in irrigated areas, application in more split doses, avoiding the heavy rainy period, will be beneficial. Nutrients will be taken up in greater portions when the root density is higher, and hence it is better to apply the nutrients within 2 m from the trunk of the palm and forked in immediately. There should be sufficient moisture available in the soil at the time of application of fertilizers to enable easy absorption by the roots.
Fertigation Fertigation is an efficient method of fertilizer application through drip irrigation system. This method saves fertilizer costs and increases the fertilizer use efficiency; reduces labour requirement; and supplies nutrients according to the demand, besides facilitating application of fertilizers exactly and uniformly to the wetted root zone. Water soluble fertilizers such as Urea, Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP) can be used through drip irrigation. Liquid fertilizers, which are highly soluble, can also be used, and therefore, do not cause any interference or clogging though it involves high cost. Through this method, apply www.krishijagran.com
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Table 1. General Fertilizer Recommendation for Coconut (g per palm per year)
Age of plants
Qnty. for application
First round of application (after the pre monsoon showers)
Second round of application (September-October)
Urea
Mussoriephos
Muriate of potash
Urea
Mussoriephos
Muriate of potash
3 months after planting (first year)
1/10
--
--
--
110
160
200
Second year
1/3
120
180
220
240
360
440
Third year
2/3
240
355
440
480
710
880
Fourth year onwards
Full
365
530
670
730
1070
1330
fertilizers in six equal splits (70 g urea, 60 g DAP and 170 g MOP per one split) from December to May at monthly intervals (avoiding monsoon seasons for high rain fall zone) in Kerala, India.
Integrated Nutrient Management Soil organic matter serves as the source and sink for plant nutrients. But the soils, where coconut is grown, in general, are deficient in this component. Organic manures serve not only as a source of plant nutrients but also in restoring soil fertility by increasing chemical, physical and biological properties of soil. Adequate soil organic matter is an essential prerequisite
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for microbial activity. It also improves the soil water and nutrient holding capacity. Therefore, an integrated nutrient management approach that maintains soil fertility and plant nutrient supply at an optimum level for sustaining the desired productivity through optimal utilization of organic and inorganic nutrient sources is to be adopted in coconut cultivation. Besides chemical fertilizers, 50-60 kg organic manure per palm is to be applied 10-15 days prior to inorganic manure application. This helps in partial supplementing the quantity of nitrogen applied. The organic matter status of the soil can be
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The vital point in nutrient management in coconut palm is to ensure the availability of the essential mineral elements in the soil in the required levels and in the right proportion for their continued availability and sustained growth throughout the life of coconut palms.
maintained by the addition of green leaves, compost or farm-yard manure (FYM). A semi permanent vegetation of leguminous creepers could be maintained in the interspaces of coconut palms as cover crop. This helps in preventing soil erosion and weed growth and adds organic matter and acts as thick mulch which in turn improves soil fertility ( by way of fixation of nitrogen) and water holding capacity. Cultivation of green manure crops in situ and their incorporation is a very convenient and economic method of enhancing the organic matter status in the soil. Green manure crops such as Pueraraia phaseoloides or Calapogonium muconoides or cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) or sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea) can be grown in coconut basins with the onset of the monsoon in May. Sow 100 g seed of any one of the green
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WORLD through absorption by the palms could be replenished through recycling palm residues such as coconut husk, leaves etc. within the palm basin as well. The vital point to be considered in the nutrient management in coconut palm is to ensure the availability of the essential mineral elements in the soil in the required levels and in the right proportion for their continued availability and sustained growth/productivity throughout the life of coconut palms. Therefore, the nutrient composition of the soil where coconut is cultivated should provide the palm with essential nutrients especially the major nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium); secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium and sulphur); and many micronutrients. Soil testing to understand the nutrient supplying capacity and an integrated application of organic manures (including microbial inoculants) and inorganic fertilizers will be helpful to the farmers.
COCONUT PALACE IN MANILA
oconut palace is a government owned building located in the Cultural CenC tre of Philippines Complex in Manila. It
is named so because 70 percent of the sprawling structure is made of coconut lumber. It was built in 1978 by former first lady Imelda Marcos as government guest house and offered to Pope John II during his visit but the Pope refused to stay there.
manure crops and allow to grow. When one or two plants start flowering, uproot the biomass and incorporate in the basins. In this way, on an average 20-25 kg of biomass could be generated in each basin which can contribute about 100 to 150 g nitrogen and other nutrients per palm and increase the population of beneficial group of microorganisms. When irrigation is practiced, sowing of green manures may be undertaken twice in a year.
The palace is shaped like an octagon while the roof is shaped like a traditional hat. Different components of coconut trees have been used in the interior and furnishing of the building. Some of its major attractions are the 101 coconut-shell chandelier and the dining table made of 40,000 tiny pieces of inlaid coconut shells. Each of the suites of the palace is named after the specific region of Philippines and displays some handicrafts from these regions. Kathika.B.P
Nutrient addition is also possible through green leaf manuring using glyricidia, which comes up well even in marginally fertile soil. Two or three rows of glyricidia can be planted in between two rows of coconut. Pruning can be initiated one year after planting and three prunings per year (February, June and October) could be made. Application of prunings (@10 kg green manure per palm per year) can meet a major portion of N (90 per cent), and part of the P and K requirements (25 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively) of coconut palms. Some of the nutrients lost www.krishijagran.com
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Coconut Products
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BY-PRODUCTS Special Correspondent
U
nder the aegis of Coconut Development Board and various Research Organizations, many number of by-products of coconut are developed and the same were marketed by the companies. A few of them are described here by:
Spray Dried Coconut Milk powder The technology for the manufacture of spray dried coconut milk powder has been developed by the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore in Karnataka under the sponsored programme of the Coconut Development Board. The product, which is developed and packed in laminated foil bags contains 62 per cent fat, 14 per cent protein and 2 per cent moisture which can be used in place of fresh coconut milk for food preparation / beverages in household and food industries. It can be reconstituted into coconut milk by diluting with water. It offers additional advantage such as less storage space, enhanced shelf life and reduced packaging cost.
bulkiness of the tender coconut and its poor keeping quality due to the tendency to undergo biochemical changes and spoilage after harvesting restrained its popularization and marketing in its natural form. To overcome this difficulty, CDB thought of finding out a convenient packet without spoilage and loosing inherent qualities of the drink. Thanks to Defence Food Research Laboratory, Mysore, a technology for the preservation and packaging of tender coconut water in its natural form was developed. It was a shot in the arms for stabilizing the Indian coconut sector. CDB has commercialized this technique in a successful manner .
Coconut Vinegar Vinegar is an important ingredient for many food preparations for enhancing their tastes and keeping qualities. Besides, it is also used in canned and packed food products like pickle, meat products etc. The vinegar available at present is mainly synthetic in origin. The consumer preference in all over the world, particularly in European countries is towards natural food ingredients and their aversion on synthetic substance due to its carcinogenic effect induced demand for natural foods. The change in the consumer preference has embarked upon the transformation into new products. The Coconut Development Board in search of utilizing the matured coconut water for value addition has succeeded in developing a technology for the manufacture of vinegar through Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore. Ma-
Packed Tender coconut water Tender coconut water is a gift of nature, rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. The harmful effect of the synthetic drinks on human health has induced health conscious consumers to depend on natural drinks like tender coconuts. This change in the consumer behaviour in turn has increased the demand for tender coconut in the country. Nevertheless, the 40
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OF COCONUT ture coconut water, a by-product virtually wasted in copra production units is now developed into quality vinegar through a quick generation process using vinegar generators. The wide spread acceptance for the Board’s technologies and accreditations received for the products from the consumers has helped in a great extent to transfer this technology for commercial exploitations. Several units have come forward to avail the technology for manufacturing vinegar from matured coconut water from the Board.
Coconut Chips
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The coconut chips are manufactured from fresh coconut by oven drying. The finished chips with a moisture percent-
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Coconut Products
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age of are crisp and brittle and are tasty to eat. It can be made either sweet or salty with the natural flavour. The technology for the manufacture of coconut chips was developed by the CPCRI, Kasaragodu, Kerala under a sponsored programme of the Coconut Development Board.
Coconut shell based industry In case of coconut shell utilization, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka are far ahead of India. Considering the immense potential and the need for promotion of shell based industries in the country, the Board has played a salutary role. In India coconut shells are used as fuel in households, bak-
eries, brick yards, lime kilns, iron foundries and other small scale industries. It is a natural product made up of hardened cellulose with high lignin content, which renders it to be very durable, enabling it to resist quick degradation and easy decomposition even under wet conditions. This product has captured the attention of the elite in the Western and European countries who are slowly doing away with the synthetic non-biodegradable packing and going in for the naturally available bio-degradable packing. Coconut shell which is the only material container with varying sizes, toughness and durability
has assumed importance worldwide. A few copra processing units in Kerala exported 12 lakhs coconut shells in the form of ice cream cups, forks, spoons and hookahs to Spain, Italy France and other European countries. It is unbelievable that export enquiries received from countries like USA, Netherlands and Austria and Western countries are more than the total production of coconut shell in the country. The shell is certain to find new uses as a packing media throughout the world. This would not only help to earn valuable foreign exchange for the country but also generate employment opportunities to the rural people. Coconut shell being very hard is carved into all kinds of lovely curios items. It could be inlaid with silver or other metals and generally used with great ornamental effect. Articles of very attractive appearance are being produced by expert craftsmen in various parts of the country. Coconut shell is today being commercially exploited for
Banana Shaped Coconuts n some coconut varieties, especially the Rennell Island Tall, a variety of SolIomon Islands, sometimes a few fruits
are developed without pollination. Such fruits get a long shape structure like banana varieties. Inside this fruit, there is no nut able to germinate, only husk and shell. K.B.P
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the manufacture of coconut shell powder, coconut shell charcoal and activated carbon. The value additions in coconut shell have salubrious effect in increasing farm level income which is a prerequisite for making the coconut industry globally competitive. Coconut shell powder is extensively used as compound filler in the plastic industry, synthetic resin glues and as filler cum extender for phenolic molding powders. This unique product is used for specialized surface finishes, mastic adhesives, mild abrasive products & polyester type laminates. In India, the coconut shell powder has extensive application in the manufacture of agarbathy, mosquito coil etc. The ‘Tortoise’, ‘Goodknight’, ‘Mortein’, ‘Odomos’ are the strong mosquito coil brands available in the country. The Godrej and Hindustan Lever are some of the leading manufactures of shell powder based products in the country. Presently there are about 25 shell powder producing units located in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka & Northern Kerala manufacturing about 1500 tonnes of the product on an annual basis. Coconut shell charcoal finds wide use as a fuel and as a base material for the manufacture of activated carbon. Presently crude methods are being employed for the manufacture of shell charcoal resulting in inferior quality and poor recovery of the product. However, there are a few units adopting modern methods like the drum kiln methods and waste heat recovery technology for the manufacture of good quality shell charcoal. Coconut shell based activated carbon is the widely accepted material for application in pollution control and removal of colour / odour of compounds, air purifications, purification of industrial as well as potable water etc. It is also used in refining and bleaching of viable oils and chemical solutions. India has not attained any triumph in fully utilizing the large quantity of coconut shell indigenously available mainly for want of know-how. The artisans add value to the materials wasted from coconut. Such creative crafts will help infuse the new generation with artistic mind and will develop domestic market for coconut byproducts. The artifacts made out of coconut products attract many within and outside the country. This enables to pin our hopes on the tremendous potential in expanding area of coconut handicrafts making. The Coconut Development Board in search www.krishijagran.com
WORLD of talented artisans for converting the coconut shell and wood based products into high value utility materials has played a key role in developing and establishing rural artisans units in various parts of the country, particularly in the coconut producing states. This in turn has made a face lift of the rural economy through employment generations and value additions of the byproducts.
COCONUT SUGAR A Natural Alternative oconut sugar is considered as a highly beneficial, healthy and natural C alternative for normal sugar granules.
Often called as Coconut palm sugar, it is produced from the sap of its flower bud stem and undergoes two natural steps, a cut is made on the flower of the coconut palm and the liquid sap is collected in a container. Then it is placed over moderate heat to evaporate the moisture content. As the water evaporates, it gradually turns into small crystal or block likes structure. Coconut sugar is rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and zinc, along with some polyphenols and antioxidants that also provide health benefits. Inulin, the fibre content of the coconut sugar helps to absorb glucose and acts as an alternative for diabetic patients. Low glycemic index is another major advantage of coconut sugar, which indicates the effects of carbohydrate in blood sugar. In 2014, the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) had named the coconut palm sugar the most sustainable sweetener in the world. K.B.P
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Care & Nourishment
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Care and Nourishment to Soil for Sustained Productivity in Coconut Jeena Mathew, S. Indhuja and S. Kalavathy ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Regional Station, Kayamkulam jeenu15@gmail.com
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oil is a non renewable natural resource, inevitable for crop production in our planet earth. Indeed the sustainment of the life on the earth depends on how well the soil resources are being taken care of. As per the reports of Food and Agricultural Organization (2017) ninety five per cent of our food comes directly from soil, but 33 per cent of the global soils are degraded. Hence it is a challenging task for the stakeholders to feed the ever growing population from this limited natural resource.
60 cm soil layer from the surface. This implies that there is considerable exploitation of soil nutrients from the available root zone which needs periodical replenishment for ensuring sustained palm productivity. Hence care of the soil resources and managing the soil health constraints in terms of its physical, chemical and biological properties are of utmost importance in a coconut based cropping system for sustained palm productivity.
Coconut is being suitably designated in Sanskrit as ‘Kalpavriksha’ the tree of heaven (‘’) for its unique potential to provide, food, cattle feed, fuel, timber, fiber, medicine, health drink and even shelter through its pinnate leaves. The average life span of a tall palm is up to 6 to 7 decades, removing considerable quantity of nutrients from the soil in which it grow. Hence due care and management need to be focused for reaping sustained productivity from a coconut palm. It has been recorded that over 80 percent of active roots are confined to an area of 2 m radius around the palm and to a depth of 25 to
Being a perennial plantation tree crop with exhaustive utilization of soil resources for its sustainment, the soil in which the palm tree is growing requires constant monitoring for the occurrence of any production constraints. Sometimes, even if management practices are adopted in a farm, production per tree may not be up to its actual potential. This is because, a palm tree removes more nutrients and utilizes greater amount of soil resources depending on its potential productivity. In other words, as the productivity of the palm increases the quantum of resource exploitation
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Major soil constraints for coconut production
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“Care of the soil resources and managing the soil health constraints in terms of its physical, chemical and biological properties are of utmost importance in a coconut based cropping system for sustained palm productivity�
WORLD the field. When the water level is static and low in dissolved oxygen, the roots become inactive. Hence good drainage need to be provided in heavy textured low lying areas so as to avoid water logging during continuous rainfall. Presence of sub soil hard pans can also lead to foliar yellowing consequent upon the poor root exploitation of water and nutrients from the soil. Poor moisture retention is another soil constraint for coconut production particularly for the sandy soils. When there is prolonged drought, the water absorbing region at the tip of the root develops a thick wall through which water will not penetrate and the roots will remain in a resting condition and they will not absorb water. Under conditions of soil moisture stress, the leaf production rate will be declined and consequently the production of inflorescence and nut production will also be drastically reduced. It can also result in severe button shedding. Management of soil physical constraints Due care and attention should be taken before selecting the site for coconut planting to avoid the decline in productivity at a later stage. In areas where there is predominance of water logging, planting can be done in mounds or bunds.
may increase linearly. Hence constraints in terms of the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil need to manage systematically and scientifically so as to address the nutrient removal- replacement gap. SOIL PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS AND ITS MANAGEMENT FOR COCONUT PRODUCTION Major soil physical constraints
In order to improve the physical consistency of soil, enrichment should be done with organic matter which can also improve its tilth. Addition of 20 kg organic manure per palm during second dose fertiliser application can improve the organic matter status of soil. Mulching with palm residues such as dried leaves can reduce the impact of falling rain drops and it can prevent erosion of top soil from the palm basin to a considerable extent. The organic acids produced by the decomposition of crop residues can act as a physical binding agent between soil particles and can improve soil aggregation. Under condition of poor drainage in the basin, drainage channels can be opened in between rows of palms to facilitate the drainage of water. Irrigation water should be of good quality because if there is presence of salts as indicated by the high
Coconut can be grown in variety of soil types ranging Table 1. Rating of primary nutrients in soil from loamy, laterite, coastal Nutrient(kg/ha) Low Medium High sandy, alluvial, clayey and even reclaimed marshy soils Nitrogen <280 280-560 >560 provided there is sufficient Phosphorus <10 10-25 >25 drainage, water holding capacity and the absence of Potassium <110 110-280 >280 hardpans within 2 meter from the surface. It is also essential to have water table within 3 Table 2. Rating of secondary nutrients meter from the surface. As an ill effect of shallow soil depth and impeded drainage, Nutrient Deficiency Sufficiency there will be poor root proliferation and development and consequently poor Calcium <300 ppm >300 ppm nutrient availability for growth. Water Magnesium <120 ppm >120 ppm logging in the initial stages of planting can lead to poor plant establishment in Sulphur <5 ppm 5-10 ppm www.krishijagran.com
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Table 3. Ratings of micronutrients in soil Nutrient
Deficiency (ppm)
Sufficiency(ppm)
Recommendation
Zinc (0.1 N HCl extractable)
<1.00
1
20 kg Zn SO4 ha-1
Zinc (DTPA extractable)
<0.6
0.6
20 kg Zn SO4 ha-1
Copper (0.1 N HCl extractable)
<1
1
1.5 -2.0 CuSO4. 5 H2O) ha-1
Copper (DTPA extractable)
<0.12
0.12
1.5 -2.0 CuSO4. 5 H2O) ha-1
Hot water soluble Boron
<0.5
0.5-2.0
18 kg Borax ha-1
Magnesium
Potassium Though liming is a management option to mitigate soil acidity, a chemical constraint for crop production, the practice of liming can also improve the physical properties of soil. Both the calcium and magnesium ions present in lime and dolomite can facilitate soil aggregation and thereby improves soil structure for the palm root exploitation of soil. Moisture retention and water holding capacity of the soil can be improved by practices such as mulching in the basin with dried palm leaves after cutting it into 2-3 pieces and are to be spread as 2 to 3 layers, husk burial, proper weed management and minimizing the inter cultural operations.
Nitrogen
Managing the physical soil constraints can provide an ideal base upon which the palm roots can explore the potential soil volume for water and nutrients. Moreover it can also improve the soil structure, aeration, soil aggregate stability, porosity and water holding capacity. SOIL CHEMICAL CONSTRAINTS AND ITS MANAGEMENT FOR COCONUT PRODUCTION Major chemical constraints Soil Acidity
Phosphorous electrical conductivity, salt accumulation in the root zone occurs and injury to roots will be aggravated under conditions of poor drainage. 46
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Soil acidity is the foremost of the chemical constraint affecting coconut production. The innate nature of the soil, heavy rainfall and consequent leaching of base nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium, unscientific application of chemical fertilisers are some of the reasons which can contribute to the development of soil acidity. Coconut palms thrive at a soil pH of 5.0 to 8.0. However if the soil acidity is very severe, root degeneration will occur which will hinder www.krishijagran.com
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â&#x20AC;?Coconut can be grown in a variety of soil types ranging from loamy, laterite, coastal sandy, alluvial, clayey and even reclaimed marshy soils provided there are sufficient drainage, water holding capacity and the absence of hardpans within 2 meters from the surfaceâ&#x20AC;? the absorption of water and nutrients. More over higher aluminium concentration in the root zone under acidic soil conditions can impair the root proliferation and development. Soil acidity can also negatively influence the absorption of nutrients such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and boron. Application of lime or dolomite@ 1 kg per palm per year two weeks prior to fertiliser application can correct soil acidity. Minimum two weeks gap have to be maintained between liming and fertiliser application so as to ensure greater use efficiency of added nutrients. It also prevents the loss of nitrogen through volatilization as ammonia, fixation of phosphorus as insoluble calcium phosphates and the loss of potassium through leaching. Availability of essential nutrients Coconut palm being a perennial plantation crop requires regular supply of essential nutrients for its growth and nut production. The annual requirement of primary nutrients is in the order 500:320:1200g N:P:K per gram per palm. Apart from that, the palms require magnesium, calcium, boron, copper, zinc and chlorine. But continuous removal of nutrients from the soil through crop uptake can deplete the soil with these nutrients and can results in the exhibition of various deficiency symptoms and thereby affect production of nuts. The following table shows the level at which the major, secondary and micronutrients become deficient in soil.
Deficiency symptoms of major nutrients
Deficiency symptoms of nutrients and their management in coconut Being a structural component of porphyrin ring, the general symptom of nitrogen deficiency is the reduction in chlorophyll content with golden yellow coloration of older leaves near the petioles and light brown color near the end, which later dries out. Yellowing starts from the tip of the leaf and leaflets and progresses along the midrib which also turns yellow. Phosphorus deficiency symptoms are usually seen in palms grown in extremely acidic as well as in calcareous soils. Symptoms manifest as purple discoloration due to anthocyanin pigmentation and the leaves stay upright. There will be restricted root growth. Potassium is the nutrient removed in highest proportion from coconut (78%) and hence frequent occurrence of its deficiency symptoms is reported in coconut. The deficiency is common in light sandy soils as well as in laterite soils. Often high levels of calcium and magnesium in soil result in depletion of potassium from the root zone and if intercropped www.krishijagran.com
Boron Deficiency symptoms in coconut JANUARY 2018
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with potassium exhaustive crops such as tapioca, fodder grass and pineapple without proper addition of fertilsers deficiency will be aggravated. Orange yellow discoloration starts from the tip of the leaflets, progressing along the margin towards the base. But the mid rib remains green. Leaf tip becomes withered and became necrotic, necrotic spots also appears on the yellow part of the leaflet. Later the necrotic spots coalesce together giving a scorched appearance. The appearance of a green triangle with the base in the lowest leaflets and apex towards the tip is a characteristic feature of potassium deficiency in coconut. Nutrient management based on soil analysis is cost effective and environment friendly. Soil test based application of nutrients can compensate for the deficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in coconut. It can also manage the situations when long term fertiliser application in a particular field lead to the buildup of soil nutrients particularly
that of phosphorus. Excess phosphorus in soil can reduce the availability of zinc and boron to plants. The soluble phosphates from the soil may reach water bodies leading to eutrophication, where there will be rise in phytoplanktons. Hence under conditions of excess phosphorus in soils, it is recommended to skip the application of phosphatic fertilisers when the level of available phosphorus goes above 20 parts per million. Thus fertiliser application should always be done on soil test basis which can substantially cut down the cost of inputs as well as prevents environmental pollution. In the case of magnesium deficiency, yellowing of the older leaves starting from the tip and extends towards the base and later the younger leaves also turns yellow. Magnesium deficient leaves have distinctly green leaf centers and bright lemon yellow to orange margins. Yellowing occurs principally in those parts of the leaf which are exposed to sunlight, the shaded part remains green. Application of dolomite @ 1 kg per palm 2 weeks prior to fertilizer application and addition of 48
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WORLD magnesium sulphate @ 500 gram per palm along with second dose of fertilizer application can manage the deficiency. As far as boron deficiency in palm is concerned, symptoms appear on the leaves, roots inflorescence and nuts. There will be root thickening, darkening and short ramifications, later the root tips die off, causing overall growth reduction. Since boron is an immobile element in plant, the first symptoms appear on the youngest leaf. Leaf symptoms appear as fasciation ie, failure of the leaves to split and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;crown choke disorderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. There will be crinkling and reduction in elongation of young leaves. Pollen production, pollen grain germination and pollen tube development will be affected. There will be poor nut setting and button shedding will be rampant. In order to rectify boron deficiency, initially soil reaction has to be corrected by applying dolomite @ 1 kg per palm. Later 160 gram of borax has to be applied in four equal split doses.
Biological constraints and its management for palm productivity In order that the nutrients available in the soil are mineralized and made available for palm growth, microbial activity need to ensured in the soil for which the soil organic matter content should be adequate. Soil becomes a sustaining entity enough to support palm growth only if there is sufficient organic matter content. Soil organic matter enhances the nutrient and water holding capacity, nutrient buffering capacity and promotes the growth of beneficial microbes. It also helps in the proliferation of earthworms thereby enriching the biological activity. But soil organic carbon gets depleted due to exhaustive inter cultural operations, reduced turnover of crop residues and burning of palm leaves and other residues. Soil can act as potential sequester of atmospheric carbon thereby can reduce the carbon emission in the long run. Enrichment of soil organic carbon can be done by crop residue recycling and addition of organic matter www.krishijagran.com
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”As income sustainability remains the prime objective for each farm holding, enhancing the crop productivity with the use of limited resources presents a major challenge before the farming community” to the soil. Because of the presence of high lignin content, natural decomposition of coconut leaves is very slow. Coconut leaf vermicomposting is a technique to produce compost from the coconut leaves using Eudrillus sp of earthworms. Vermicomposting tanks of dimension 4 m x 1.5m x 1 m can be constructed. Leaves withered for 2 months are used for vermicomposting. It can be mixed with cow dung slurry@ 100 kg per tonne of leaf waste and kept for 2 to 3 weeks. Earthworms@ 1000 worms per tonne of coconut leaves have to be introduced. It should be mulched with organic wastes. Water should be sprinkled to ensure sufficient moisture. 70 per cent recovery of compost will be obtained in 75 to 90 days. Application of fresh neem cake along the top inside borders of the vermicomposting tank can be used as a prophylactic measure against the breeding of rhinoceros beetle. A soil based Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal bioinoculant, ‘KerAM’ containing Claroideoglomus etunicatum, one of the dominant species from coconut rhizosphere has been released from ICAR-CPCRI. It can be applied for the improving nutrient and water absorption in coconut seedlings. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are known to improve plant growth through its direct or indirect mechanisms. One of the best PGPR, Bacillus megaterium from coconut rhizosphere has been released from ICAR-CPCRI as a talc based bio-inoculant ‘Kera Probio’ for application in nursery seedlings. Biopriming with ‘Kera Probio’ can impart vigorous growth to the coconut seedlings. As income sustainability remains the prime objective for each farm holding, enhancing the crop productivity with the use of limited resources present a major challenge before the farming community. Long term strategies for managing the resource constraints are to be formulated in a coconut based farming system owing to its perennial nature. Hence soil constraints need to be diagnosed timely for the adoption of appropriate management strategies without affecting the palm productivity. And indeed strategies for enhancement of palm health including plant protection operations as well as soil health have to be coupled together for better resource management. It also ensures sustainable palm productivity, favorable farm income and conservation of environmental resources. www.krishijagran.com
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MONKEYS for Harvesting COCONUTS n Thailand and Malaysia, trained pigtailed macaques are used to pick coIconuts. It has been said that there are
training schools for these monkeys in parts of the countries and each year competitions are held to find the fastest harvester. A male monkey can collect an average of 1,600 coconuts per day and a female can get 600, while a human can only collect around 80 per day. In Ko Samui, the Coconut Island of Thailand, the picking up of coconuts by monkeys are a big attraction to thousands of tourists visiting there.
Coconut Fighting or Porapol oconut fighting or Porapol Gahima is a traditional game in Srilanka. It is held as C part of a ritualistic activity to derive bless-
ings from Goddess “Pattini”, the consort of Hindu god Shiva, the term “pattini” means “wife”. The game requires two teams, an equal number of players on both sides with an equal number of coconuts on either side. The two teams are referred to as ‘Udu Pila’ and ‘Yati Pila’. At the starting of the game, the number of coconuts is counted and as the game progresses, members of each team come forward one by one to face an opponent. They throw the nuts with full force in the direction of the opponent while the latter targets the oncoming nut to smash it with the one he holds in his hand. At the end of the game, when the stack of coconuts of each team is counted, the team that has the highest number of coconuts unbroken wins the game. The practice of playing Pora Pol is believed to have originated from Matara, 300 or 400 years back. K.B.P JANUARY 2018
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Scientific management
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Scientific management of young coconut palms Regi Jacob Thomas, A. Abdul Haris and M. Shareefa ICAR- Central Plantation Crops research Institute Regional Station, Krishnapuram PO., Alappuzha -690 533, Kerala Email:regijacob@yahoo.com
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he coconut palm is a versatile tree, popularly known as ‘King of Palms’ and ‘Kalpavriksha’ and plays a significant role in the agrarian economy of India auguring livelihood security to more than 12 million farm families. It is important that it provides a variety of useful products like food, fuel and timber with a leading role in ecosystem services. Apart from the importance of copra and coconut oil which is widely used in the manufacture of soaps, hair oil, cosmetics and other industrial products, the husk is a source of fibre which supports a sizeable coir industry. The tender nut supplies coconut water, a popular thirst quencher of health and hygienic value.
long life span and large capital outlay involved in establishing a coconut plantation, necessitates selection of good seed nut from selected mother palms and good seedling as first step for successful cultivation of the crop. The care during initial years of planting in the main field is also very crucial for successful cultivation.
The performance of the coconut palm can be judged only after 10-15 years of planting. The
Seedling should be removed from the nursery
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Selection of good quality seedlings One year old good seedlings will have a minimum of six leaves with a short petiole, dark green and broad leaves and large number of roots. They will have a collar girth of 10 cm and above. Seedling which shows early splitting of leaves may be preferred for planting.
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Table. 1. Fertilizer recommendation of young coconut palms (g/tree) Year of planting First year Second year Third year Fourth year onwards
May - June Urea
Mussoriphos
MOP
Urea
Mussori phos
MOP
120 240
Planting in May- June 170 340
190 380
110 240 480
150 340 680
170 375 750
365
500
565
730
1000
1125
using spade / crow bar and should never be lifted from soil by pulling the leaves or petiole. The seedling should be planted as early as possible after removal from the nursery. The seedlings can be stored for a period of one week. In such cases, the seedlings should be kept under shade and also watered. Land preparation Well drained sandy loam soils are best suited for coconut cultivation. The land should be open without any trees so as to get maximum sunlight to the palms. If the land is uneven and full of shrubs, the shrubs have to be cleared and leveled before taking pits. Adequate supply of water either through well distributed rainfall or irrigation are to be ensured. In sloppy area, soil and water conservations measures are to be adopted. In low lying water logged areas, planting is done on raised mounds. In laterite soils, addition of 2 kg common salt prior to 6 months of planting will help in loosening the soil. The depth of pits will depend upon the type of soil. In laterite soils deeper and wide pits, 1.2 x
â&#x20AC;?The long lifespan and large capital outlay involved in establishing a coconut plantation necessitate selection of good seed nut from selected mother palms and good seedling as the first step for successful cultivation of the cropâ&#x20AC;?
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September- October
1.2 x1.2 m, may be dug and in sandy loam soils, pits of size, 1 x1 x 1 m is sufficient. The pit is filled with top soil, powdered cow dung, and ash upto a height of 60 cm and a small pit is dug at the centre for planting the seedling. After planting, press the soil well around the seedling. Spacing An optimum plant density must be maintained in the field so as to ensure better yield from coconut and also for effective utilization of naturals resources viz., sun light, soil and nutrients. A spacing of 7.5 m x 7.5 m is generally recommended for tall coconut varieties (West Coast Tall, East Coast Tall etc.) so as to accommodate 177 palms/hectare. Dwarf varieties like Chowghat Green Dwarf and Chowghat orange Dwarfs may be planted at a spacing of 6.5 -7 m. Time of planting In well drained soils where water stagnation is not a problem, seedling can be transplanted with onset of South West monsoon (May-June). If irrigation facilities are available, it is advisable to take up planting at least a month before the monsoon sets in (Medom, 10) so that the seedling gets well established before the onset of heavy rains. In low lying area, where water logging is a problem during monsoon period, it is advisable to plant the seedlings after cessation of monsoon for better anchorage. Biopriming Bio-priming of seedlings with bio-inoculants such as Pseudomonas fluorescens imparts tolerance to diseases as well as promotes better seedling growth. Initial establishment of bioprimed seedlings was found to be superior in the main field with enhanced vigour and field tolerance to diseases. At the time of planting in the main field, dip coconut seedlings in 100 g (108 cfu/g) of talc-based preparation of P. fluorescens in slurry-mode. Care of young palms The field planted seedlings should be shaded and irrigated during summer months. Irrigation with 45 litres of water once in 4 days has been found to be satisfactory for all soil types. Provision of proper drainage is should also be ensured in low lying water logged areas. Weeding should be JANUARY 2018
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done periodically as weeds compete for water and nutrients, thereby affecting the growth of the palms. Soils washed down by the rains and covering collar region of young seedlings should be removed. The pits should be gradually filled up by cutting the soils from side as the seedlings grow. The palms should be frequently monitored for any pests or disease incidence and necessary remedial measures should be taken up promptly. Manuring Regular manuring right from the first year of planting is essential for good vegetative growth, early flowering and bearing and high yield of coconut palms. The first application of fertilizer should be done three months after planting. It is always advisable to do soil test based nutrient application so as to avoid nutrient deficiencies particularly micronutrients or skipping of particular nutrient depending upon the soil health data. During initial year the quantity of chemical fertilizer to be applied is one tenth of recommended dose of fertilizer for adult palm. During the second year, one third of the dose recommended for adult palms may be applied in two split doses in May- June and SeptemberOctober. This dosage may be doubled during the third year. From fourth year onwards, fertilizer may be applied at the rate recommended for adult
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Leaf axil placement of ferterra sachet
Manuring of young palm
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‘‘Well-drained sandy loam soils are best suited for coconut cultivation. The land should be open without any trees so as to get maximum sunlight to the palms” palms. The fertilizer schedule for young palms is given table.1. Along with second split dose during September – October, 3-5 kg organic manures such as vermicompost or neemcake (first year 3kg, second year 5kg, third year onwards 10kg) may be spread in the pits and after applying the fertilizers, covered with soil. Application of dolomite or lime @ 1 kg/palm /year may be applied prior to the fertilizer application so as to ensure better nutrient availability to the palm.
It has been noticed that the dwarf varieties come to bearing within three years of planting and tall varieties in five years if proper management is given during initial years. As the yield of coconut palms in future is influenced by management given in the initial stage, the farmers should pay more attention for scientific management of young palms along with selection of best planting materials.
Pests and diseases Rhinoceros beetle infestation is commonly seen in young coconut palm and is more predominant in dwarf varieties than in talls. Adult beetle bores into the collar region of the coconut seedlings and brings forth dead heart-like symptoms. Central core of the spindle is severely affected and irrecoverable loss is induced. Extrusion of chewed up fibres at the bore hole is one of the characteristic symptoms of identification. In many cases, the growing point gets twisted, malformed and remarkable loss in vigour is observed. Presence of geometric V-shaped cuts on leaflets is quite common in juvenile palms. As prophylactic measure, the inner most leaf axils may be filled with neem cake or marotti cake @250g/ palm mixed with equal quantity of sand may be applied. Placement two naphthalene balls (8g) in the leaf axils and covering with sand at 45 days interval is also effective. Alternatively placement of small perforated sachet containing 4-5 g Chloranthrinipole/Fipronil in the inner most leaf axils may be attempted. Emergence of rugose spiraling whitefly in young palms can be managed by water spray or neem oil @ 0.5% and encourage niche for conservatory biological control by Encarsia Guadeloupe. Bud rot and leaf rot are the major diseases noticed in young palms.
Field planting of coconut seedling leaves
Shading using plaited coconut
COCO the laughing face oconut was originally called as “coco” in earlier days and there is a common belief that the name C “coconut” was given by Portuguese sailors in the 16th
century because the three eyes like holes on the shell looked like a human face. “Coco”, a Spanish word, means “laughing face” or “grimace”. The word nut was added in English later on. K.B.P
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Health Benefits
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Coconut A Healthy Choice
Indu Narayanan Professional Nutritionist , Email- indunarayanan2@gmail.com
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oconut is one of the most useful crops in the world. Each and every part of coconut is beneficial in one way or another. In Sanskrit, it is called “kalpavriksha” meaning “the tree which provides almost all the requirements of life”. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties
Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fibre content, vitamin C, E, B- complex and minerals including iron, sodium, magnesium and phosphorous. Coconut milk is lactose free, so it is highly recommended for patients who are lactose intolerant. Consumption of coconut milk helps to protect body from infections and viruses. Coconut kernel and coconut water contain many nutrients and minerals essential to human health and hence it is used as food by the people across the world, mainly in the tropical regions. Coconut also possesses numerous medicinal properties such as anti-viral, antifungal, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, hypoglycemic and immunostimulant. Recent studies have proved that coconut milk has some health properties similar to mother’s milk. 54
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So it is apt for brain development in small children and infants. Tender coconut water is excellent for stomach disorders. Coconut milk is prepared by grinding grated coconut (which is soaked in 1 cup hot boiling water) at room temperature and filtering to obtain a clear liquid. If coconut milk is heated excessively in an open pan we will get pure coconut oil. Coconut oil is a remedy for sores in the mouth. This oil can be applied all over the body for infants before giving a bath. It can be applied in the scalp of your hair to prevent falling and for the thick growth of the hair. The remaining sediments after filtering the oil can be eaten as such to prevent stomach ulcer and sores in mouth. It has a good healing property. Grated coconuts in grounded form or as such are used in most of the south Indian preparation. There is a common belief that coconut oil increases cholesterol and contributed to severe heart diseases. But it is proved that coconut oil actually lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart problems. It is high in natural saturated fats. Saturated fats not only increase the healthy cholesterol www.krishijagran.com
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(HDL) in our body, but also convert the LDL (bad cholesterol) into good cholesterols. By increasing the HDL in the body, it helps to promote heart health and prevent the risk of heart disease. This prevents Alzheimer’s disease also. Coconut oil can kill harmful microorganisms. Drinking a teaspoon of coconut oil early morning will increase memory. Beauty Benefits Hair Conditioner: You can either wash your hair with equal amounts of coconut milk and shampoo or use coconut milk as a conditioner. This adds volume to your hair makes it less oily and promotes longer and thick hair.
WORLD Gentle application of coconut milk provides an excellent moisturising effect in dry skin conditions like eczema dermatitis and psoriasis. The natural fatty acids in coconut milk help treat dry and irritated skin and remove harmful bacteria. Coconut oil is a good under eye cream. The skin under your eyes is thin and delicate making it prone to fine lines, puffiness and dark circles. Never go before expensive eye creams, use coconut oil. Just rub a pinch in between fingers to warm it up before patting it underneath your eyes.
Coconut milk restores dry and damaged hair. Because of its excellent moisturising properties, coconut milk can be used as a scalp tonic for dry, itchy and irritated scalp. A gentle massage for 5 minutes with coconut milk can have a good nourishing effect. This is particularly beneficial for restoring dry, damaged and brittle hair as well as split ends. Coconut milk for face To remove your makeup, add two drops of olive oil to a few drops of coconut milk on a cotton pad and rub gently. This not only cleanses your face but nourishes your skin deeply. Prevents acne Due to its anti-bacterial properties, coconut milk can act as a cleanser to prevent acne. The fats in coconut milk do not clog pores, thereby preventing acne. Facial Scrub Coconut milk can be used as a face scrub for gentle exfoliation. Soak oats in coconut milk for 10 minutes and then use it as an effective natural scrub. Prevents primitive ageing As it is loaded with vitamin C, coconut milk helps to maintain elasticity and flexibility of skin. It is also rich in copper and prevents wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots. Soak 6-7 almonds overnight and peel their skins off in the morning, grind into a smooth paste and add 5-6 drops of coconut milk. Mix well and apply this paste on face for 15 minutes and wash it off with cold water. Treat sunburns Application of coconut milk over sunburnt skin aids in rapid healing because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It helps by cooling the skin and reducing pain, swelling and redness. As a moisturiser It is a great moisturiser due to its soothing properties. Add 1 cup of rose petals, ½ cup of rose water and 1 cup of coconut milk with lukewarm water in a tub. Soaking in this bath for about 15 minutes will help restore moisture in dry skin. Also grind ½ cup of oats and mix it with 1-2 cups of coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of honey. www.krishijagran.com
EAT COCONUT APPLE A DAY keeps the doctor away… ometimes when we break open a coconut we can find a spongy, S white structure inside it like a pearl in
a shell. Popularly known as coconut apple or coconut embryo, it is actually the coconut cotyledon. Recent studies show that eating coconut apple a day will keep the doctor away that means it offers a plenty of health benefits. Anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-parasite properties of coconut apple support and maintain the immune system healthy. It provides a natural source of quick energy and enhances physical and athletic performance. As a rich source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it helps to keep hair and skin healthy and youthful looking, promotes weight loss, prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, age spots, and provides sun protection It also improves insulin secretion and symptoms associated with diabetes. It helps protect the body from cancers due to insulin reduction, removal of free radicals that cause premature ageing and degenerative disease. It can restore and support thyroid function. This also helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infection. K.B.P
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Coconut Scheme
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INTEGRATED COCONUT DEVELOPMENT SCHEME IN KERALA
Vishnu S P
Agricultural Officer, FIB,Kerala
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iming to rejuvenate the coconut sector in Kerala, State Government and Agricultural Department has implemented a handful of developmental programs for strengthening the production, value addition and marketing. As part of this, Kerala government has declared this year as “Coconut Year” with a slogan “Kerakeralam samrudha keralam”. Let’s examine some of the major developmental projects that are envisaged as part of the Coconut Year.
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Integrated management of coconut gardens on cluster basis: implement 40 new Keragramams with a project area unit size of 250 ha each and expand the project coverage step by step. Spread scientific integrated coconut farming methods like opening of coconut basins, mulching, husk burial, application of soil ameliorants, organic manures etc. over 21,000 hectares.
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Expand the idea of intercropping with ginger, turmeric, pepper, black pepper, banana in coconut gardens to ensure better land utilization, efficient water use and for more returns. Replanting with good quality coconut seedlings: Set up systematic replanting programme after the removal of diseased, old, unproductive and senile palms. Also ensure quality seedlings to farmers with financial assistance of 50 percent subsidy. Coconut climbing equipment for clusters: To overcome the shortage of skilled labourers and popularizing mechanization in coconut harvesting, providing farmers with coconut climbing devices in subsidized rate of Rs. 2000 per unit. In order to increase the irrigation facilities in coconut garden, providing www.krishijagran.com
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Kerala government has declared this year as “Coconut Year” with a slogan “Kerakeralam samrudha keralam”. Various projects are planned by the Government for the welfare of coconut farmers and improving the quality of coconuts and marketing of by-products
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farmers with Rs. 25000 per hectare for digging new wells, pond and installing pump sets. Establishment of coconut nurseries: This programme aims to enhance the production and supply of good quality planting materials for each locality. Seedlings from elite palms identified in the panchayath or adjacent panchayaths by the Agricultural officers will be raised for raising seedlings. Financial assistance of Rs. 50000 will be released for producing 6250 quality seedlings from 25 cents. Establishing eight compost units in each of the villages in order to ensure availability of the required organic fertilizer for the region. Establish a Panchayath level Technical Resource Group in each village. Assistance for Panchayath level Kera
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Samities(Societies) : Earmarking 5 lakhs per Kera Society for organizing activities like value addition, agro processing units, marketing and organize activities on a group approach for cultural operations, application of manures and fertilizers, plant protection and other unforeseen expenses. Establishment of Model HYV Dwarf/ Semi tall Coconut Demonstration Farms for popularizing the dwarf varieties of coconut among the coconut growers. Ensuring technical assistance to farmers in areas like hybridization, production of high yielding variety and pest control management in association with Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. Enhancing research programs in pest control management with the active JANUARY 2018
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participation of Kerala Agricultural University. Preparation of action plan for implementing the pest eradication programme and arranging campaign in the mostly affected areas. Cost of inputs: Palms in the hotspots identified will be treated for plant protection activities and an amount of Rs.100/palm will be given for the purchase of pesticides including labour charges. Setting up of Coconut farming demonstration plots in 1000 ha in SCSP / TSP areas. Test the soil of the planters’ gardens and provide soil health cards Establishing coconut value added products units in small scale sectors and strengthen the existing ones. Organize wide awareness programs about the health benefits of coconut by-products including coconut oil. Ensure the availability of super performing varieties. Establishment of Coconut Processing Units under each Krishibhavan. Start Coconut Stores in the State through Coconut Development Corporation. Strengthening the marketing of coconut based value added products by coordinating the activities of the farm producing companies with the Coconut Development Corporation. Establishment of Coconut Agro Parks aimed at value addition and diversifica-
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WORLD tion of coconut. Set up incubation centres for attracting more entrepreneurs and producing value added products. • Extend the marketing possibilities of value added products and by-products in national and international levels through newly starting Kerala Agro Business Company (KABCO). Insurance Scheme for Coconut Climbers •
By using the benefits of Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme (KSIS) introduced by Coconut Development Board, coconut tree climbers can ensure insurance cover. KSIS is an accident insurance for coconut tree climbers and neera technicians. The amount insured is 2 lakhs and it is implementing through Oriental Insurance Company. All the trainees who have successfully completed training under Friends of Coconut Tree (FoCT) programme and Neera technicians training programme are covered under the scheme, starting from the first day of their training. Board will pay their premium amount for one year. Traditional coconut climbers can also avail themselves of benefits under the scheme. The period of insurance is one year and on expiry, the benefactor can renew the policy. Duly filled in application forms along with a demand draft for Rs.23 drawn in favour of the Coconut Development Board and payable at Ernakulam, should be sent to chairman, Coconut Development Board, Kera Bhavan, Kochi - 682011, Kerala. The application form, claim form and other details are available at www.coconutboard.gov.in.
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COCONUT ON TERRACE
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etting up a garden on terrace is an emerging trend nowadays. Flowers, vegetables, herbs and even paddy fields can be seen on rooftops. Here, a rooftop farmer becomes distinctive among farmers by growing a crop which is often considered as impossible to grow in terrace. M. P Viswanathan, a resident of Vettikkavala, Kottarakkara, has been growing coconut in his terrace for a year. He shares his own method of cultivating coconut on terrace. Method of Cultivation Choose a water tank (50 litres). A three inch density concrete bed is needed according to the perimeter of the tank, cut the neck part of the tank, put some drainage holes on the bottom and place the tank in the concreted area. Fix four PVC bend pipes (4 inch each) on the four sides of the tank. Then arrange coconut husks on the bottom of the tank. On the top of the husks put a line of husks. It is done to prevent the saplings from sunburn. Put a mixture of topsoil, khanajeevamritham
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and sand. Fill a line of coconut husks around the side of the tank and add the mixture again. Thereby fill the quarter part of the tank. It is ready for planting the sapling. Dig a pit on the middle of the tank by hand and plant it. Watering is must, especially during dry season. Use khanajeevamritham or jeevammritham once in three or four months. Once the roots start sprouting through the pipes attached to the tank, connect it to the foreground floor through the PVC pipe filled with the above said mixture. Do the same on the four sides where the pipes are fixed .When the tree grows up, tied the branches by using galvanized wire rope. It is better to fix PVC TY on the sides of the pipe for air circulation. We can also cultivate pulses on the open side of these TY fittings. M P Viswanathan â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Samuhyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Vettikkavala P O, Kottarakkara Phone: 9495347611
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MUSHROOMS FROM COCONUT BIO WASTES
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PCRI has been developed a low-cost technology for the cultivation of oyster mushroom from coconut wastes such as leaf stalk, bunch waste, leaflets, coir pith etc. Among the cultivated mushroom, oyster mushroom belonging to Pleurotus is the ideal one for cultivation on coconut by-products, because of the ability to utilize lignin rich materials and favourable climatic condition in coconut-growing regions. Coconut bunch waste, leaf stalk, mixtures of leaf stalk + coir pith in 1:1 ratio and bunch waste + coir pith in 1:1 ratio were found to be a better substrate for mushroom cultivation. Polybags method of cultivation could be followed using three percent spawn applied by multi-layering technique. This can be done in low-cost sheds build with coconut materials such as plaited coconut leaves and coconut wood inside an adult coconut garden. Spraying 1 percent urea and 1percent super phosphate helps to reduce the interval between flushes. Â Pleurotus eous, Pleurotus florida and Pleurotus sajor caju are the suitable species for cultivation in this method. This technology offers a source of income as well as nutritional security.
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Agribusiness Incubation Centre: Catalysing Coconut Business Ventures
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ndian Agribusiness Incubators are a network established by Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) for catalysing and promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture sector. Started in 2013, Agribusiness Incubation Centre at CPCRI has been ensured innovative coconut business ventures by providing structured and formal entrepreneurship programmes, technology backstopping, financial guidance and technical consultancy for the establishment of processing. The ABI centre extends facilities for the production of virgin coconut oil, coconut chips, coconut sugar and activated carbon to its incubates. More than 200 entrepreneurs have received assistance from this centre since its inception. www.krishijagran.com
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WHITEFLY MENACE: Experts urge to avoid insecticides
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xperts have warned against the use of insecticides for controlling Rugose Spiralling Whitefly menace in coconut plantations. Recent studies conducted by CPCRI have identified that RSW infestation has come down in some of the southern districts where the natural parasite, Encarsia guadeloupae, had occurred. They have found that 70 percent of the whitefly colonies were parasitized by this natural predator and the spraying of insecticides can adversely affect the natural parasite.
by their sucking feeding habit, siphon out coconut sap by selective feeding on the under surfaces of the leaflets. Extensive feeding of the insect leads to the excretion of honeydew which subsequently gets deposited on the upper surface of the leaves positioned down beneath or even on other under storey crops. Honeydew excrement attracts ants and encourages growth of the fungus which causes disfigurement of host plant like black tinge on leaves affecting the photosynthetic efficiency of the plant.
Infestation of RSW has been recognised as one of the serious threats to coconut plantations in Southern India. The immature and adult whitefly
Whitefly attack was first reported in Palakkad and Pollachi in Tamil Nadu in 2016. But scientists have assured that it will not destroy the crop completely.
COCONUT PEDUNCLES ARE IN GREAT DEMAND THAN COCONUT
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eralites are quite familiar with coconut peduncles, locally called “klanjil”. Nowadays, in coastal lines, coconut peduncles have great demand than coconut. These are used as traps to catch squids. The fishermen drop the peduncles in the deep sea to attract the squids and after three days they would return with fish rods to catch squids trapped in it. One squid weighs three to eight kilograms. Fishermen from Kanyakumari, Thoothukkudi districts of Tamilnadu are the experts in catching squids.
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COCONUT WITH
SWEET HUSK
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ave you ever think sweet, juicy coconut husk. In French Polynesia, a coconut variety known as Kaipoa, bears coconut with sweet husk. Sometimes, the young fruits have a soft and edible shell. There are several old varieties of this type: the flock of young fruits is more or less tender, more or less sweet or more or less juicy. In some old plantations, it is easy to identify Kaipoa coconut palms because the rats adore their fruits, at the base of the coconut palm are found many small fruits eaten by the rats. The best varieties are those with very soft flocks. The genetic, physiological and biochemical mechanisms responsible for the ‘Kaipoa’ characteristic are unknown. The fibres of the flock are whiter and finer and especially less strongly connected to each other. In the flock of Kaipoa, there are accumulations of whitish particles and it is most likely an enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of one or more of the components of the flock that is genetically “deficient.” JANUARY 2018
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Company News
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usqvarna Group is a global leading producer of outdoor power products for forest, park and garden care. The group is the European leader in garden watering products and a world leader in cutting equipment and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. The products and solutions are sold in more than 100 countries under brands including Husqvarna, Gardena, McCulloch, Poulan Pro, Weed Eater, Flymo, Zenoah and Diamant
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Boart. Sustainability is high on its agenda with a strong focus on product emissions and energy consumption as well as ergonomics. Talking with the Managing Director & Country Manager of Husqvarna (India) Products Private Limited, Mr Rajesh Raghavan, Krishi Jagran explored the company and its prospects. â&#x20AC;˘ With the range of forest and gardening tools that you provide, Where does you stand in the Indian
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market ? We are at the start up stage having recently set-up our own entity in India. At the moment we are focusing on bringing in the ideal range of products suited for India across forestry, gardening and light agriculture and at affordable prices to the Indian consumers • What is your global turnover in the last financial year? And how much business have you been doing in India at present ? As Husqvarna group listed in Stockholm NASDAQ, globally our net sales has been 36 Billion SEK in 2016. The Indian business has just begun and so far has been growing well in line with our expectations. • How much business do you reckon in India, in the next five years ? We have ambitious growth targets for the business in India over the next five years as we expand our product range and dealer footprint. • In context with agriculture and farming in India, which Indian states are giving the most business and from which products? We are going forward with a phase wise network expansion plan, starting with the southern and western parts of the country towards up north and east. So naturally our business is increasing in line with the network expansion across the geographies. As for products, we are continuously introducing newer models and are focusing on bringing to the market what is required. • Do you have any special programme that fulfils CS Responsibilities? We as a group have always been open and interested in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives globally and are no different in India. We are currently evaluating potential activities where we can support and be actively involved in. • How does Indian Market differ from global markets in terms of farm mechanization and tool usage? In line with all other emerging markets, India is also fast growing in terms of farm mechanization and tool usage. Compared to the developed markets in the west,
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the emerging markets are upcoming in mechanization in certain applications. This is where Husqvarna’s expertise from the developed markets helps support growth in the emerging markets like India • In the global market which country brings the most revenue for you ? Most of our revenue comes from Europe and the Americas and much of it from forestry and gardening. Emerging economies contribute to our growth in agrarian sector. • What are the challenges you face while working in this sector ? Much of the challenge lies in mechanization in the agriculture sector. There is still a lot of scope for machine usage in agriculture in terms of soil preparation, seeding, soil preparation, inter-cultivation, pest and disease control, harvesting and post harvesting operations • When did you think to expand your business to India and how did that proceed? Husqvarna has been evaluating the right time for entry into India ever since the 1990s through different channels and has set-up a wholly owned subsidiary in the recent past. The Indian subsidiary is fully operational since 2017 and we have not faced any problems with regards to expansion. • What are the innovative / new products that Husqvarna is planning to work upon and bring to the market ? In every market Husqvarna aims at understanding the specific requirements and developing the suited products for those requirements. In India also we are actively studying the market and are constantly evaluating the need of new as well as improved products. • With the abundant farmer’s population in India, how affirmative have you been about new technology replacing manual labour at farms ? We have seen in the past few months of our operations in India how positive the market has been in welcoming mechanization in forestry, gardening and agriculture. Although there is still room for improvement especially in the agriculture segment, we are optimistic that the market will embrace newer technologies at a faster pace.
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Home Garden
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Pests removal from garden
The green way Dr.Sangeeta Soi
sangeeta@krishijagran.com, M-9891123772
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ost of us spend our leisure time in gardens which we find as a place to relax from the daily stress by taking care of the plants and their maintenance. Pests are the most wide-spread problem in our garden and no doubt they are easily removed by using certain pesticides available in the . As we all know the pollution level on our planet market has reached a level which will no doubt render us in difficulty.
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Vast use of chemicals & pesticides has polluted the soil and intervened our ecosystem badly. The traces of these chemicals are found in our vegetables, grains and fruits and effects our general health
Go green is the need of the hour. Vast use of chemicals & pesticides has polluted the soil and intervened our ecosystem badly. The traces of these chemicals are found in our vegetables, grains and fruits and effects our general health. From the garden most of these chemicals find their way into streams and rivers as runoff and from there into oceans. Organophosphates are the most common type of insecticide and include malathion and parathion. These chemicals are effectively nerve agents, very similar in composition to weapons like Sarin gas. They act by inhibiting neurotransmitters in the brain and nervous system, causing paralysis, convulsions and death. They are virtually dangerous to every animal on the planet. Their primary benefit over older pesticides like DDT is that they are not persistent and breakdown very quickly in the environment. Countless studies have been done on the dangers of pesticides. I could easily fill page after page with the data collected against its common use. Plants sprayed with pesticides lack certain nutrients only produced when they are nibbled on by insects. Likewise, pesticides kill beneficial soil microbes, creating an unhealthy environment open to disease without any biological means of protecting itself. Contact with pesticides has been linked to fertility issues, childhood cancer, Alzeimer’s and much more. Even socalled safe usage, which is rarely seen, still puts chemicals into your blood stream, putting you at risk years later. This is the right time that we should accept the best possible alternatives to avoid these chemicals. Let’s just start off by saying our culture has a very unhelpful view of insects and bugs in www.krishijagran.com
general. If you ask anyone they will likely say it’s because bugs are dangerous or harbor disease. But in most cases, the dangers of pesticides far outweigh the dangers of insects. Organic garden pest control might seem like an oxymoron. But according to Nature, it’s not. It contains a mixture of preventative methods, as well as supporting the natural ecosystem. If you have previously sprayed chemical pesticides, give your garden time to balance itself out. You may see an increase in insect attacks and you may even lose a few plants. Stay on top of it with these organic garden pest control methods; don’t sit back and hope Nature sorts it out. You created an imbalance and Nature will appreciate your help in sorting it out. And don’t expect a balanced ecosystem overnight or even in a year. Restoring health to an unhealthy environment takes time, work and lots of compost. The most common problem gardeners face is insect damage to their plants. With proper cultivation and gardening methods, this problem can be drastically reduced before having to resort to other methods. This means a well-prepared soil, adjusting the pH balance as needed, good drainage and air circulation.
Preventive measures: Before insects invade or become a problem, the following organic garden pest control methods should be applied to prevent infestations from occurring. Maintain Soil Health: This is the first and foremost step to organic garden pest control. Sick plants are much more susceptible to insect invasion. Keep them watered properly (not too much, not too little), amend the soil with compost and mulch, use only organic fertilizers and plant them in the right place so they are getting proper amounts of sun and shade. Compost tea is also a great way to keep plants happy and it helps to take care of anything funky going on in your soil by introducing healthy bacteria. You can test your JANUARY 2018
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You can test your soil to know which nutrients are lacking. An inexpensive test can be purchased at garden centers or can order a professional test that will give you much more comprehensive results.
soil to know which nutrients are lacking. An inexpensive test can be purchased at garden centers or can order a professional test that will give you much more comprehensive results. Spinosad:This option can safely be used on your fruit and vegetable crops. Spinosad is a soilbased bacterium that kills garden pests including bagworms, borers, beetles ,spider mites, tent caterpillars, and loopers. Interplant and rotate crops: Insect pests are often plant specific. When plantings are mixed, pests are likely to spread throughout a crop. Rotating crops each year is a common method to avoid re-infestation of pests which have over-wintered in the bed. Rotenone: An organic pest killer that is also moderately toxic to most mammals and occurs naturally in seeds and stems of some plants. Companion Planting: Companion planting is another important part of your organic garden.Garlic is said to drive off aphids from roses; basil is used to protect tomatoes. Companions should be planted closely together (high-density) and interspersed with other plants to create a permaculture-like habitat, rather than a monoculture. Silver Reflective Mulch: A fairly new tool in the organic garden pest control toolbox but it’s pretty cool. It’s a thin, silver sheet laid down over the soil and around plants. It works two ways: One is by being shiny and freaking out birds and insects to keep them away. The other is by shining light on the underside of leaves to repel shade-seeking insects. Neem Oil: This is an oil from the pressed seeds of Neem tree. It is used worldwide to repel insects, such as ants, aphids, beetles, caterpillars, cockroaches, houseflies, leafminers, mealy bugs, nematodes, snails, termites, and many more, including controlling fungus and mildew. It requires processing and should be purchased commercial66
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ly for the proper concentrated use in organic garden pest control. Garlic Oil Spray: Garlic oil is also used to repel insects. You can make a garlic oil spray by soaking fresh minced garlic in vegetable oil for several weeks. This can be mixed in a spray bottle with about 4 parts water to one part oil and sprayed on your leaves or around the stems of your plants. Alternatively, as described above with companion planting, some insects may also be repelled by planting an abundance of garlic closely together with other plants. Seaweed fertilizer sprays:- They are useful for strengthening soil and promotion of plant growth. The seaweed sprays contain helpful minerals and trace elements like iron, calcium, sulphur and magnesium. Diatomaceous Earth: It is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. It’s the fossilized remains of diatoms and acts both as a repellent and a bug assassin. It can be sprinkled on or around the plant or mixed in water and sprayed onto the leaves. To the bug it supposedly looks shiny and sparkly to scare them off. If any daring bugs go near it, it sucks the moisture out of them. It is razor-sharp to insects and can cut their exoskeletons. DE can harm beneficial insects so it should only be used when absolutely necessary! It can be drying to the skin of humans and should not be inhaled . The disadvantage of DE is that it may not work well in very humid climates and will usually need reapplying after rain. Be sure to purchase food grade DE, not the stuff they sell at pool supply stores. Soapy or Oily Water: Spraying soapy water or an oil and water mixture suffocates insects, such as aphids. It is safe to use around beneficial insects, but needs reapplying after rain. The sun can also cause burn spots on sprayed leaves, so spray primarily on the undersides. www.krishijagran.com
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Copper and Salt: Used in areas with a slug problem, copper can be purchased in strips to place around plants or the edges of containers or garden beds. Slugs avoid the shock the copper gives them. Salt will also kill slugs in high enough concentrations, although too much salt in the soil can be unhealthy for plants. Hand-picking: This may be time-consuming but in most healthy gardens it is an efficient, inexpensive (and sometimes, therapeutic!) way of taking care of small insect populations, such as tomato horn worms or aphids. Check the undersides of leaves, and squish bugs you find or remove the leaf entirely. Practicing this organic garden pest control technique for a few minutes each day should prevent most infestations from becoming serious problems. Bacillus thuringiensis: Bt is a naturally occurring bacteria found in the stomachs of caterpilwww.krishijagran.com
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lars. Incidentally it’s used to kill caterpillars, such as the grape leaf skeletonizer or tomato hornworm. It is mixed with water and sprayed on the underside of leaves. But, it can affect beneficial caterpillars, such as butterflies and care that count. Integrated Pest Management: It relies on knowledge of the specific insect and its life cycle, preventative measures, manual and biological controls, and lastly, chemical or organic pesticide intervention. Usually used in large scale farming, it can be applied to organic garden pest control at home by forgoing any chemical pesticide. Beneficial Insects: Beneficial insects are insects which you can attract to your garden, or buy from catalogues, which prey on harmful insects or their larvae. There are many different species for specific problems. JANUARY 2018
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WEED MANAGEMENT
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WEED MANAGEMENT under the regime of CLIMATE CHANGE
Bhumesh Kumar and P.K. Singh ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur (M.P.) *Corresponding author Email: kumarbhumesh@gmail.com
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ong-term changes in the average weather pattern of a region is considered as ‘climate change’. Rapid global industrialization and associated anthropogenic activities have resulted in production of greenhouse gases. Predicted changes in climate especially increase in concentration of greenhouse gases, rise in temperature and erratic pattern of precipitation etc. can influence agricultural production. Weeds are always a challenge to agricultural production and biodiversity as they out-compete crops and native species. The dynamics of competition between weed and crop plants are affected by environmental conditions, and have been shown 68
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to change with climatic drivers. Majority of plants posses either C3 or C4 photosynthetic pathway. Plants of these two categories exhibit different adaptation strategies to the environment. Hence, the dynamics of competition between weed and crop plants are also expected to be changed with climatic drivers. Name of some important weeds and their photosynthetic pathways are listed in Table 1. IMPACT OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON CROP-WEED INTERACTION
Composition of the atmospheric gases, minimum www.krishijagran.com
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Table 1: Important crops and weeds and their photosynthetic pathways Botanical name
Photosynthetic pathway
Botanical name
Photosynthetic pathway
Crops Beta vulgaris
C3
Echinochloa frumentacea
C4
Cajanus cajan
C3
Eleusine coracana
C4
Cicer arietinum
C3
Paspalum scrobiculatum
C4
Glycine max
C3
Panicum sumatrense
C4
Gossypium hirsutum
C3
Pennisetum glaucum
C4
Oryza sativa
C3
Saccharum officinarum
C4
Solanum lycopersicum
C3
Zea mays
C4
Triticum aestivum
C3
Sorghum bicolor
C4
Abutilon theophrasti
C3
Amaranthus retroflexus
C4
Ageratum conyzoides
C3
Amaranthus spinosus
C4
Alternanthera sessilis
C3
Amaranthus viridis
C4
Asphodelus tenuifolius
C3
Cyperus rotundus
C4
Avena fatua
C3
Cyperus esculentus
C4
Bidens pilosa
C3
Cyperus iria
C4
Chenopodium album
C3
Digitaria sanguinalis
Chromolaena odorata
C3
Echinochloa colona
C4
Commelina benghalensis
C3
Echinochloa crus-galli
C4
Convolvulus arvensis
C3
Eleusine indica
C4
Cyperus difformis
C3
Euphorbia hirta
C4
Eichornia crassipes
C3
Fimbristylis miliacea
C4
C3
Weeds
Euphorbia geniculata
Imperata cylindrica
C4
C3-C4
Ischaemum rugosumÂ
C4
Phalaris minor
C3
Leptochloa chinensis
C4
Physalis minima
C3
Portulaca oleracea
C4
Phylanthus niruri
C3
Rottboellia cochinchinensis
C4
Striga asiatica
C3
Trianthema portulacastrum
C4
Parthenium hysterophorus
Global climate change will alter many elements of the future crop production. Changes in climate influence not only the performance of individual organism but also impact interactions with other organisms at various stages and maximum temperature at critical growth stages and pattern of rainfall are the key factors that have changed significantly during last century and are predicted to be changed further in coming years. Interactions between crops and weeds are bound to change in the future due to alteration in climate. However, direction and magnitude of such changes are yet to be worked out. Effect of high atmospheric CO2 Increase in atmospheric CO2 is likely to influence plants mainly through direct effects on physwww.krishijagran.com
iological processes like photosynthesis and stomatal physiology resulting in increased growth rates. Magnitude of response to CO2 concentration varies depending upon the species, growth stage, photosynthetic pathway and interaction with other climatic factors i.e. temperature etc. Inherent adaptive mechanisms like higher water use efficiency of weed species in comparison to crops might help weeds to gain a competitive advantage. Available evidences suggested that rising CO2 would increase yield losses due to competition with weeds and C3 JANUARY 2018
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weeds in comparison to C4 weeds would pose more serious threat to crop production in future. Effect of elevated temperature Rise in temperature is the phenomenon associated with the ‘greenhouse effect’ commonly termed as ‘global warming’. It is well established that C3 and C4 species have differential temperature optima for physiological and metabolic processes because enzymes involved in different metabolic pathways exhibit differential kinetics at varying temperature. High temperatures can be very harmful during flowering and initial stages of grain formation in crops. For example, high temperature during late stages of wheat lead to advancement of the panicle emergence.While in rice, it delays the panicle emergence resulting considerable loss in final outcome in both the cases. Rise in temperature may also facilitate weed shifts and expansion of growing region. Studies based on the combined effect of elevated CO2 and temperature seems to be more realistic and logical in prediction of impact of climate change in a given cropping system. Exposure to rising temperatures may reverse the beneficial effects on growth and yield in response to elevated CO2, if any. Effect of changes in precipitation pattern Global as well as regional average precipitation is also expected to be changed in terms of quantity and distribution. During last decade, unprecedented changes in rainfall pattern have been evident in India. Changes in the pattern of the rainfall may cause the alteration in the water availability which eventually may lead to changes in weed flora composition. Elevated CO2 partially ameliorated the negative effects of drought under competitive infestation by weeds. On the other hand, predicted rise in temperature is expected to aggravate impact of water deficit simply due to increase in evapotranspiration. Available evidences indicate that response to water availability in changing climate would be species-specific (C3 vs C4). IMPACT ON WEED MANAGEMENT UNDER CHANGING CLIMATE Cultural weed management Mechanical or manual removal is most widely used means of controlling weeds since old days. It was observed that under elevated CO2, stimulation of below ground growth is higher than that of shoot growth conditions. Enhanced root or rhizome growth in such species makes the manual removal a difficult task. In weed species with asexual reproduction, higher CO2 may promote additional plant propagation from below ground structures and will have negative effects on weed control. Chemical weed management Water deficits and increased temperatures may 70
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result reduction in herbicide uptake, increase in volatility, degradation and thereby reduce its effectiveness. Weeds exposed to elevated CO2 may also experience anatomical, morphological and physiological changes that could affect the rate of uptake and further translocation of herbicides and its overall effectiveness. The reasons for the reduced efficacy of the herbicides at high CO2 may be ascribed as increase in leaf thickness, reduction in stomatal number and stomatal conductance that may limit the uptake of foliar applied herbicides. Biological weed management Biological weed management is cost effective, self-sustaining and eco-friendly as compared to other methods of weed management. Natural and manipulated biological control of weeds and other potential pests could be affected by increasing atmospheric CO2 and by changes in other climatic factors like temperature and rainfall. Elevated CO2 and temperature directly alter morphology and reproduction of weeds. Change in C:N ratio may affects the feeding habits and growth rate of herbivores. www.krishijagran.com
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Carbon dioxide, temperature and precipitation are major climate change drivers which can have a significant impact on plant metabolism depending on the plant type
drought, flood and high temperature may play a vital role in managing weeds. Crop diversification: Instead of traditionally adopted cropping systems, inclusion of climate-resilient and weed smothering crops (i.e. millets and small millets) may helps in minimizing the weed infestation to a great extent. Resource conservation agriculture Resource conservation agriculture which advocates the retention of previous crop residue cover on the soil surface and sowing of crops with no-till method, is considered as a technology of future to achieve the goal of sustainable agriculture. Beside an array of benefits, the most important benefit by adopting conservation agriculture may be in terms of advance sowing of the crop as no land preparation is required. Future challenges STRATEGIES FOR WEED MANAGEMENT UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE If climate changes, it is almost likely that weeds will win the race and over-compete crop plants for the utilization of resources by virtue of greater adaptation potential. Following measures together may formulate a potential strategy for weed management under the regime of climate change. Preventive measures: An appropriate strategy is needed to avoid high weed infestations and to prevent unacceptable competition with the emerging crop. Cultural practices: Time of sowing must be manipulated in such a way that ecological conditions for the germination of weed seeds are not met. For example, in the north-western part of the Indo-Gangetic plains, farmers adopted advance wheat sowing by two weeks to minimize the infestation of P. minor as this weed required a critical low temperature for germination. Climate-resilient cultivars of crops: Use of crop cultivars resilient to climate changes viz., www.krishijagran.com
Weed shifts and invasions are gaining attention as a major threat to biodiversity and may have a significant impact on outcome of any farming system in climate change scenario. Many weed species share traits that will allow them to capitalize on the various elements of climate change.Hence, may increase the dominance of some species over the others and more so of weeds over the crops. Following are the researchable avenues for crop and weed scientists. •
How will combination of possible climate change drivers (i.e. greenhouse gases, temperature, precipitation) affect crops, weeds, and associated micro-organisms?
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What will the extent of biological invasions and shifts (i.e. weed shift) in predicted climate change scenario be?
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At what extent would climate change contribute to the success of agriculture weeds?
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What will the impact of climate change be on new technologies like ‘herbicide tolerant crops’ ? JANUARY 2018
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Nutrition
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Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture and Consequent Role of Extension Advisory Services
Sangeeta Bhattacharyya, R. Roy Burman and D.U.M Rao Division of Agricultural Extension ICAR – Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi - 110012
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India has some of the highest number of under very country is facing the challenge of nourished children. The following table showing poor nutrition in one form or the other. the percentage of children falling under the An estimated 45 percent of deaths of malnutrition indicators will help us to get a grasp of children under age 5 are linked to malthe whole fact nutrition (Black et al. 2013). Malnutrition and diet are now the largest risk factors responsible for the global burden of Table 1: Nutritional status of children disease—by far (Forouzanfar et al. 2015). The economic consequences Indicator %* represent losses of gross domestic Children (under-five years) who are stunted 38.4 product (GDP), year in and year out, Children (under-five years) who are wasted 21.0 of 10 percent—far greater than the annual percentage loss in world GDP Children (under-five years) who are underweight 35.7 due to the global financial crisis of Children (6-59 months) with anaemia 58.4 2008–2010 (Horton and Steckel 2013; Source: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-16. IFPRI 2015a; World Economics 2016). India’s Nutritional Status India is home to over 40 million stunted and 17 million wasted children (under-five years) (Raykar et al., 2015). Though there has been improvement in certain measures of nutrition metrics like stunting and wasting in children under five, still 72
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Note: *Percentage of relevant population Not only children but women also constitute a bulk of the malnourished population of India. The low nutritional status of women and adolescent girls reflects the deep societal discrimination www.krishijagran.com
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Malnutrition and diet related diseases pose the most predominant health risk to a majority of global population today. that women in India face on a routine basis. The indicators in Table 2 show the magnitude of nu-
teractions with other actors and assists them to develop their own technical, organizational and management skills and practices, Table 2: Nutritional status of women and adolescent girls so as to improve their livelihoods and well-being. Over the past few Indicator %* decades the role of AEAS has Women whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is below normal 22.9 changed substantially, shifting away from a production oriented, Non-pregnant women age 15-49 years who are anaemic 53.1 technology transfer model to a greater emphasis on broader Pregnant women age 15-49 years who are anaemic 50.3 development objectives such as All women age 15-49 years who are anaemic 53.0 improving rural livelihoods through a demand-led, participatory and Source: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), 2015-16 market-oriented approach. It is in the context of this paradigm shift that a potential role for AEAS in promoting gender tritional deficiency among Indian women. equality and supporting nutrition interventions Note: *Percentage of relevant population has emerged. AEAS are often seen as a potential channel for influencing the production and Agriculture and Nutrition: what’s the link? consumption decisions of farming households so The root of nutritional insecurity begins right from that they grow,sell and eat more nutritious and lack of availability of nutritious foods. Nutritious diversified foods and time-saving technologies to foods are foods with high nutrient content which alleviate drudgery (Global Forum on Food Security include animal source foods (fish, meat, eggs, and and Nutrition, 2017). dairy products), fruits and vegetables, bio fortified Why Extension and Nutrition? staples, fortified foods and traditional local crops (Hawkes and Ruel, 2011). So in order to tackle The rationale for the integration of nutrition this problem of under nutrition, agriculture can be within EAS lies in the opportunity to leverage leveraged to improve health and nutritional status key strengths of agriculture EAS systems and of the population. Agriculture policy must be agents, including: (a) an established infrastructure brought in tune with nutrition policy with incentives (b) reach (c) community trust and (d) cultural provided for encouraging the production of nutriawareness, including an understanding of how to ent-rich crops such as pulses and oil seeds and mitigate the constraints faced by farmers. Agrithe cultivation of local crops for self-consumption. cultural extension and advisory services (EAS) are Policies for the agricultural sector must promote often mentioned as a promising platform for the agricultural productivity, dietary diversification delivery of nutrition knowledge and practices, due and environmental security, thereby improving to the close interaction that EAS agents have with households’ food security. farmers through their role as service providers in Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture
rural areas (Fanzo et. al., 2013).
Nutrition-sensitive agriculture aims to maximize the impact of nutrition outcomes for a population through sustainable farming systems that employ a “nutrition lens,” while minimizing the potential for unintended negative consequences that may result from the sector’s economic and production-driven goals (Fanzo et. al., 2013). Nutrition-sensitive agriculture is an approach that seeks to ensure the production of a variety of affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate and safe foods in adequate quantity and quality to meet the dietary requirements of populations in a sustainable manner.
Models of Integration
Integrating Agricultural Extension and Nutrition Agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS) refers to any organization in the public or private sectors (e.g. NGOs, farmer organizations, private firms etc.) that facilitates farmers’ and other rural actors’ access to knowledge, information and technologies and their inwww.krishijagran.com
Integration of nutrition within Extension Services has been tried in Africa, South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and has been found to exist in eight levels: 1. Generalist: Have a broad range of agriculture-based knowledge relating to farming systems, fertilizers, and/or marketing, in addition to knowledge on rural poverty alleviation and development issues and nutrition. 2. Nutrition specialist: Focus on nutrition and serve as technical backstops, providing ongoing training to frontline extension agents. They are responsible for relaying relevant information from the research to frontline agents and in turn gather feedback from frontline agents concerning the local needs of the community. 3. Generalist with access to nutrition specialists: Agriculture focused with basic training in JANUARY 2018
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Nutrition
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The developed countries have diet related diseases due to high intake of fats, sugar, calorific foods etc. while in developing and under developed countries the horrific cases of starvation, stunting, wasting and women suffering from anaemia and malnutrition ending up in maternal death are sending shock waves even in 21st century world a range of topics including nutrition. With an understanding of the potential causes of malnutrition, they assist the community in accessing nutrition resources and/or services, including nutrition specialists. 4. Home economics extension agent: Nutrition specialists, typically female and housed within Agriculture ministries, who are responsible for addressing the nutritional needs of vulnerable family members, care and feeding practices, food preparation and intra-household distribution of food. 5. Lead farmer / Community volunteer: Community members who are trained by EAS agents to be farmer-to-farmer â&#x20AC;&#x153;promotersâ&#x20AC;? within their own community. Assisting with agriculture training and/or the dissemination of nutrition messaging, they serve to extend the reach of the EAS agents. The approach aims to move away from a dependence model towards one where community members are learning the skills and the methods to share them. 6. Farmer field school (FFS) facilitator: Typically local, national, or international NGOs that lead community farmers in experiential group learning
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activities, including experiments with different cultivation techniques, field observations and group analysis. While the focus is primarily on agricultural production, the participatory nature of FFS provides an entry point to the discussion of other priority issues such as HIV, gender and nutrition. 7. Health sector extension agent / Community health worker (CHW): Considered to be the main source of nutrition education by female beneficiaries, CHWs offer a direct entry point for nutrition messages. They provide nutrition counselling that touches upon components of a balanced diet, the importance of kitchen gardens and appropriate feeding practices for children. 8. Educator: Teachers and professors can play an important role in nutrition messaging, however the emphasis on nutrition within school curricula varies across countries (Fanzo et. al., 2013). Integrating Agriculture and Nutrition: Successful Initiatives Some successful efforts have already been made for integrating nutrition and agriculture. Some of them are: System of Promoting Appropriate National
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Dynamism for Agriculture and Nutrition (SPANDAN) The objective of the initiative ‘System of Promoting Appropriate National Dynamism for Agriculture and Nutrition’ (SPANDAN) is to undertake research on understanding the linkages between agriculture, nutrition and health in India. SPANDAN is supported by a grant from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Institute of Human Development, National Institute of Nutrition, IRIS Knowledge Foundation and a few independent researchers are collaborating with faculty from Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research on this initiative. The initiative is going to assemble existing data and fill knowledge gaps through two mechanisms. It proposes to use a novel methodology connecting separate sectoral data sets and build a new integrated survey for understanding the pathways from agriculture to nutrition. POSHAN by IFPRI POSHAN (Partnerships and Opportunities to Strengthen and Harmonize Actions for Nutrition in India) aims to enable policymakers, program implementers, nutrition researchers, and other stakeholders to readily access the latest, best evidence to support effective decisions to improve maternal and child nutrition in India. POSHAN is generously supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in collaboration with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and the Institute of Development Studies (IFPRI, 2017). PROFILES PROFILES is a highly effective computer software for estimating the far-reaching consequences of malnutrition, assessing the short and long-range benefits of combating nutritional deficiencies and communicating these findings to decision-makers. PROFILES was first used in Bangladesh in 1993. The process has since been used in 25 countries with success. SPRING The Strengthening Partnerships, Results and Innovations in Nutrition Globally (SPRING) www.krishijagran.com
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project is a five-year USAID-funded Cooperative Agreement to strengthen global and country efforts to scale up high-impact nutrition practices and policies and improve maternal and child nutrition outcomes. SPRING/Bangladesh is directly responsible for organizing, implementing and monitoring Farmer Field Schools that have been modified from the standard Farmer Field School approach to target attendance exclusively by pregnant and lactating women. These Farmer Field Schools cover major areas of homestead food production, gardening, poultry-raising and pond-fish farming. Nutri Smart Villages in Madhya Pradesh This ambitious initiative has been launched by the Madhya Pradesh State Government with the belief that villages can be relieved of malnutrition by fulfilling the needs of villagers with local harvest through agriculture and subsidiary activities like animal husbandry and fisheries. Work on this scheme has been started. The plan is to develop one village in each project as nutrition smart village in coordination with the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Window to News, 2017). Future Policy Interventions For effective integration of nutritional aspect in agriculture, the future agricultural policies should be formulated in line with national nutritional objectives. Also rural women especially those who are engaged in agricultural activities should be reached out by extension services. Private sector can be involved in certain awareness programs and food fortification initiatives. Nutrition sensitive agriculture is the future of farming not only in India but throughout the world. With increasing number of people becoming health conscious day by day, nutri farming and nutri gardens will become one of the most remunerative farming alternatives for farmers rather than traditional farming of staple crops. Coupled with India’s target to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of zero hunger and proper nutrition, nutrition sensitive agriculture and integrating nutrition within extension service delivery seems to be a promising option for policy makers. JANUARY 2018
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Agricultural Practices
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Good Agricultural Practices for sustainable Agriculture and Rural development Prof. Pranab Hazra
Department of Vegetable crops, Faculty of Horticulture Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya Mohanpur, West bengal
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ndia accounts for 7.68 percent of total global agricultural output. In industry sector, India ranks 12th in the world and GDP is $495.62 billion. In services sector, India ranks 11th in the world and GDP is $1185.79 billion. Contribution of Agriculture sector in Indian economy is much higher than world’s average (6.1%). Today, India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture plays a vital role in India’s economy. The total of cultivable area in this country is about 185 million hectares. At present about 172 million hectares are under cultivation. Over 58 per cent of the rural households depend on agriculture as their 76
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principal means of livelihood. Agriculture, along with fisheries and forestry, is one of the largest contributors to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry and fis heries accounted for 15.35 % of the GDP (gross domestic product) in 2015-16. Of the total GDP contributed by Agriculture, 30.40 % comes from Horticulture. However, the economic contribution of agriculture to India’s GDP is steadily declining with the country’s broad-based economic growth. Still, agriculture is demographically the broadest economic sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic fabric of India. www.krishijagran.com
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WORLD Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) for different agricultural products particularly, fruits and vegetables are a set of consolidated safety and quality standards for on-farm production agricultural practices are neither economically nor environmentally sustainable and India’s yields for many agricultural commodities are low. In 2012, the Indian government stated that 21.9% of its population is below its official poverty limit. However, the World Bank, in 2011 based on 2005’s PPPs International Comparison Program, estimated 23.6% of Indian population, or about 276 million people, lived below $1.25 per day on purchasing power parity. Going forward, it will be essential for India to build a productive, competitive, and diversified agricultural sector and facilitate rural, non-farm entrepreneurship and employment. Encouraging policies that promote competition in agricultural marketing will ensure that farmers receive better prices.
As per the FAO world agriculture statistics, India is the world’s largest producer of many fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, major spices, fibrous crops such as jute, staples such as millets and castor oil seed. India is the second largest producer of wheat and rice, the world’s major food staples. India is the world’s second or third largest producer of several dry fruits, agriculture-based textile rawmaterials, roots and tuber crops, pulses, fish, eggs, coconut, sugarcane and numerous vegetables. India ranked in the world’s five largest producers of over 80% of agricultural produce items, including many cash crops such as coffee and cotton. However, slow agricultural growth is a concern for policymakers as some two-thirds of India’s people depend on rural employment for a living. Current www.krishijagran.com
Indian total factor productivity growth (In economics, total-factor productivity (TFP), also called multi-factor productivity, is a variable which accounts for effects in total output growth relative to the growth in traditionally measured inputs of labour and capital) remains below 2% per annum; in contrast, China’s total factor productivity growth is about 6% per annum, even though China also has smallholding farmers. Several studies suggest India could eradicate its hunger and malnutrition and be a major source of food for the world by achieving productivity comparable with other countries. A paradigm shift is required. Restructuring national research, education systems (NARES), Governance, and investment policies, all to work alongside the rural poor producer communities mostly following the agro ecology of their area is the need of the hour. The cause of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, suicides, degradation of soils and biodiversity, etc should also be addressed . This ensures producers access to own requirements of safe, nutritious food and cash, thus reducing hunger, malnutrition, poverty, suicides, effects of climate change whilst improving livelihoods, increasing net income and purchasing JANUARY 2018
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Good Agricultural practices are based on concept of Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) and quality management principles with emphasis to Farm location, Farm structure, Farm environment (soil/nutrients), Farm maintenance (hygiene and cleanliness), Farming practices/ methods/techniques (pesticide and fertilizer application, pest and disease management, postharvest handling) and Farm management (farm records, traceability, staff training). power. Market oriented agriculture (mono cultures relying on agro-chemicals and industrial feedlots) has generated negative outcomes on following fronts: • • • • • • •
Widespread degradation of land, water and ecosystems High GHG emissions Biodiversity losses Persistent hunger, malnutrition, poverty, suicides etc. Climate change Rapid rise of obesity diet related diseases Livelihood stresses for producer communities
Main challenges for increased agricultural productivity in sustainable manner 60 % of ecosystem services viz., Agricultural production, Supply of water, Management of climate and Nutrient cycles are degraded Unsustainable use of natural production factors such as soil, biological diversity and water Intensive agriculture depends on high energy and contribute 1/3 “green house gas” GHG emission but energy self-reliant system could mitigate GHG emission considerably Agriculture is insufficiently prepared to cope with unpredictability and adaptation to climate change Migration of population to urban slums What are Good Agricultural Practices? Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are “practices that address environmental, economic and social sustainability for on-farm processes and result in safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products” (FAO COAG 2003 GAP paper). Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP) are voluntary audits that verify that the agricultural products viz., grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, etc. are produced, packed, handled and stored as safely as possible to minimize risks of microbial food 78
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safety hazards. A multiplicity of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) codes, standards and regulations have been developed in recent years by the food industry and producers organizations but also governments and NGOs, aiming to codify agricultural practices at farm level for a range of commodities. Their purpose varies from fulfilment of trade and government regulatory requirements (in particular with regard to food safety and quality) to more specific requirements of specialty or niche markets. The four ‘pillars’ of GAP (economic viability, environmental sustainability, social acceptability and food safety and quality) are included in most private and public sector standards, but the scope which they actually cover varies widely. The concept of Good Agricultural Practices may serve as a reference tool for deciding at each step in the production process, on practices and/or outcomes that are environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable. The implementation of GAP should therefore contribute to Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD). www.krishijagran.com
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Potential benefits of GAP Appropriate adoption and monitoring of GAP helps to promote sustainable agriculture and contributes to meeting national and international environment and social development objectives.
WORLD export market opportunities unless they are adequately informed, technically prepared and organized to meet this new challenge Compliance with GAP standards does not always foster all the environmental and social benefits which are apprehended. Thorough awareness of the farmers, traders and other stakeholders about GAP is essential for harnessing improvements in terms of yield and production efficiencies as well as environment and health and safety of workers Approaches needed to implement Good agricultural Practice Renewing focus of ICAR and SAUs on agro-ecology, low cost low risk, safe food and nutrition systems Ensuring access of the poor producer communities to own requirements of nutritious food (over 50% do not have adequate money to purchase food). Putting rural populations to work gainfully on their farms contributing to economic development and growth being sustainable and in the long term to reverse migration to urban slums Adoption of modern concept and technologies to attract the rural youth towards agriculture, horticulture and other allied areas in the rural sector.
It ensures safety and quality of produce in the food chain It may help reduce the risk of noncompliance with national and international regulations, standards and guidelines It helps capturing new market advantages by modifying supply chain governance It helps improving natural resources use, workers health and working conditions It helps creating new market opportunities for farmers and exporters in developing countries Challenges related to GAP Appropriate implementation of GAP and especially record keeping and certification will increase production costs as well as certification costs for farmers and exporters There is a high risk that small scale farmers will not be able to capitalize www.krishijagran.com
Facilitating role of different Govt. agencies including APEDA, NABARD, etc. for capacity building of the farmers, traders and other stake holders towards implementation of GAP through adoption of Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) system. Conventional agriculture relying totally on the agro-chemicals lead to degradation of ecosystem services which is the main hindrance to increase the productivity in sustainable manner. It is undeniable fact that current technologies cannot absolutely eliminate food safety hazards associated with fresh produce particularly fruits and vegetable. Appropriate adoption and monitoring of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) helps to promote sustainable agriculture and contributes to meeting national and international environment and social development objectives and provide safe food product for the consumers. However, two basic approaches needed to implement GAP are renewing focus on agro-ecology, low cost low risk, safe food and nutrition systems in academic transactions and facilitating role of different Government agencies for capacity building of the farmers, traders and other stake holders towards implementation of GAP through adoption of Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) system. JANUARY 2018
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Success Story
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Nasir Ahmed at his Gherkin plot
B. Sasikumar, V. Srinivasan and Lijo Thomas Email: sasikumarsooranadu@gmail.com
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herkin (Cucumis sativus var. angaria) or baby cumber is a type of cucumber that produces smaller fruits than garden cucumber. Canned gherkin is in good demand in Western countries and even in the Arabian nations. Pickled gherkins are served with other food items like shawarma, sausage, hot dogs, burger etc. besides in salads. India is one of the major producers and suppliers of the best quality gherkins at present. Gherkin cultivation, processing and exports started in India during the early 1990s with a modest beginning in Karnataka State and later extended to the neighboring states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. 80
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India exported 2,02,926.91 MT of Cucumber & Gherkins, worth Rs. 999.17 crores during the year 2015-16 with major destinations being USA, Russia, Belgium, France, Gulf countries and Spain. Almost all the gherkin in India is grown under contract farming system in a value chain mode by small and marginal farmers located in Karnataka, TamilNadu and Andhra Pradesh. Currently there are more than 1,00,000 small and marginal farmers who are engaged in the production of gherkin. All the inputs including the seed and cultivation tips are extended by the contracting company and the company buys back the produce. Sayed Nasir Ahmed of Chamarajanagar, Karnatawww.krishijagran.com
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First grade Gherkin
ka is one among the contract farmers who grows gherkin in 10 acre open plot with drip irrigation under a contract with the Bengaluru based India Agro Export Pvt. Ltd. since last two years. Nasir plants the seeds provided by the company in ridges at a distance of 30 cm and trail the growing plants in trellis and follows the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultivation and plant protection advisories promptly. Ten thousand plants are accommodated in an acre. Two crops are taken in an year during MarchMay and June - August. Gherkin is 80-90 days crop and the first harvest is ready in 30-35 days. Maturity matters in gherkins and the price of the produce is decided by the stage of maturity and its suitability for canning. Youngest fruit (Grade 1) weighing approximately 4.0 g (250 fruits per kg) will fetch the maximum price followed by Grades 2, 3 & 4 depending on the size and weight (maturity) of the fruits. Mr. Nasir gets Rs. 31/- per kg of the first grade and Rs. 20/- and 15/- for the second and third quality gherkins, respectively. The fourth grade fetches Rs. 10/- per kg and usually consumed as salad. To maximize the best quality grades, harvesting of the fruits should be done every day and this one operation consumes maximum labour, says Nasir. Nasir gets an yield of 10 t/acre and his net profit is Rs.1.0 lakh per acre. www.krishijagran.com
The harvested gherkins are sorted, cleaned and pickled in brine or vinegar. The picked gherkins should be transported to the factory on the same day before dusk and pickled. Leaving the gherkin unprocessed overnight would result in poor quality produce. Gherkin is exported in bulk form in 220 litre food grade H.D.P.E. drums (High Density Poly Ethylene). This is later repacked by the importers into smaller, ready to eat consumer packs to suit their consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirement and this is what we usually see in the supermarkets of Canada, US etc. Sayed Nasir Ahmed is a progressive farmer with about 50 acres of land and grows a variety of crops including high quality turmeric varieties such as IISR Prathibha, IISR Pragathi as well as banana, arecanut etc. A recipient of the Karnataka Rajyotsawa Award, Best Banana Farmer Award of the Association for Improvement in Production and Utilization of Banana and other honours, Nasir is a well known figure in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Address: Syed Nasir Ahmed, Progressive Agriculturist, Nagavalli PO, ChamarajanagarDist., Karnataka â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 571 342. Phone: 08226-233426, 94485 95957 JANUARY 2018
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Sacred tree
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www.krishijagran.com
MORINGA THE SACRED TREE Suresh Muthukulam
Editor, Krishi Jagaran, Malayalam
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he sacred tree – Moringa has been known and used for thousands of years, but only a few people can attest to its amazing healing properties and dietary promotions till date. This single plant has been creating a storm amidst traditionalists, herbalists and scientists who are increasingly promoting vast experiments on the properties and outstanding potential of Moringa tree, also known as “the tree of life”. Commonly referred to as the “miracle tree” (scientific name: Moringa olifera) is drought resistant requiring little water, is fast growing year round and almost every part of the tree is edible or valuable in one way or the other. Ancient Indian writings, dating as far back on 150 BC, refer to the Moringa tree and its uses. Early Romans, Greeks and Egyptians prized the tree for its therapeutic properties and also used it to protect skin, make perfume and purify water for drinking purpose. Its remedies have been passed down through generations of folk medicine. Historical proofs reveal that ancient kings and 82
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queens used Moringa leaves and fruit in their diet to maintain mental alertness and healthy skin. Ancient Mauryan warriors of India were fed with Moringa leaf extract in the warfront. The Moringa drink was believed to add them extra energy and relieve their stress and pain increased during war. These brave soldiers were the ones who defeated Alexander the great. Ancient Egyptians treasured Moringa oil as protection for their skin from the ravages of desert weather. Later the Greek found many healthful uses for Moringa and introduces it to the Romans. Over the centuries, the Moringa has been carried to all the tropical parts of the world. From India it also spread westward to Egypt, Africa, around the Mediterranean and finally to the WestIndies in America. Moringas are hard, known in parts of Africa as nebedies meaning ‘never – dietness’, since they grow on marginal soils, region after being chopped down and are one of the few trees that produce fruit during drought. Moringa is actually www.krishijagran.com
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WORLD ratios which is unusual for a plant source. Let us have a look into them 1. Isoleucine - builds proteins and enzymes; stimulates brain 2. Leucine - stimulate muscle growth; used in liver, muscles etc. 3. Lysine - important for proper growth; produces cartimine responsible for converting fatty acids to energy. 4. Methionine – supply sulphur and other compounds for metabolism and growth; lowers cholesterol and reduces fat in the liver. 5. Phenylalinine – helps in making proteins and neurotransmitter including L- dopa, epinephrine and norepinephrine. 6. Threonine – helps the liver to reduce fat, maintains protein balance; supports cardiovascular system. 7. Tryptophan – assists normal growth in infants and for nitrogen balance in adults. 8. Valine – helpful in treating addictions. 9. Alamine – plays an important role in cell division; acts as a vasodilator and increases blood flow. 10. Aspatic Acid – Acts as a neurotransmitter; helps in hormone production. 11. Cysteine – acts as an antioxidant; slows the ageing process.
turned as the ‘drought warrior’ – the tree also plays an important role in soil and water conservation and mitigating climate change. The ability of the tree to absorb carbondioxide (CO2) is fifty times higher than the JapanesenCedar tree and twenty times higher than that of general vegetation. The tree is a useful tool in the prevention of global warming because it sequesters more carbon with all its parts. Therefore planting Moringa in different parts of the country will instigate the impact of climate change. Moringa also offers very interesting opportunities for small holder farmers as food supplement, medicine, nutrition, water treatment, livestock feed, vegetable, oil, foliar spray, green manure, natural fertilizer etc. Moringa- the Amino Acids Depot Moringa shows great promise as a tool to help overcome some of the most severe problems in the developing world like malnutrition, deforestation, impure water and poverty. A major advantage of Moringa is the fact that it is a local resource. This contrasts with many of the on-going programmes designed to fight malnutrition which depend an imported products. Nutritional analysis indicates that Moringa leaves contain a wealth of essential, disease preventing nutrients. They contain all of the essential amino acids, properly sequenced and in the optional www.krishijagran.com
12. Glutamic acid – acts as an active neurotransmitter. 13. Glycine – create muscular tissue, DNA, RNA etc 14. Histidine – used for the growth and repair of tissues for fabrication of both RBC and WBC. 15. Serine – Catalyst for many enzyme functions; formation of immunoglobulin and antibiotics. 16. Proline – very important in strengthening the heart. 17. Tyrosine – regulate endocrine hormonal functions. 18. Arginine – Important role in cell division. Value Addition in Moringa For maximum utilization of available nutrients in Moringa value added products are prepared from different parts. i. Moringa leaf powder To ensure the use of Moringa leaves throughout the year Moringa leave powder is made. It can be used as a beverage additive and for sprinkling a food. It can also be used for making tea. JANUARY 2018
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Harvest some leaves from the Moringa tree. Rinse the leaves in clean water. Its possible blanches the leaves before drying. To blanch place them in the boiling water for 3-5 seconds. Remove the leaves after 3-5 seconds. Place them thoroughly on a piece of cloth in shady areas to dry. If humidity is high turn the leaves often to prevent moulding. Allow the leaves to dry, but not in direct sunlight. After dried, rub the leaves over a container until the leaves became very tiny particles. The container must be stored in a shady area. ii. Moringa juice Fresh leaves are crushed and powdered in a mortar with a small amount of water. Then it is filtered, diluted with water and added sugar for taste. Juice can be stored in a refrigerator. iii. Moringa leaf sauce Two cups of fresh leaves are streamed for a few minutes in one cup of water. Chopped onions, salt, butter and any other seasonings are added according to taste. iv. Preparations from flowers The flowers are good source of calcium and potassium and can be cooked and consumed. Moringa flowers can be mixed with any leaf recipes or steamed and eaten as a salad. v. Preparations from seeds The seeds can be boiled for a few minutes to remove the fine transparent hull and the water should be drained. Seeds should be eaten green before they change colour to yellow. The dry seeds can be ground to a powder and used for seasoning sauces. vi. Root Preparations The moringa tree has been called the â&#x20AC;&#x153;horseradish treeâ&#x20AC;? because a similar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tasting condiment can be made from its pungent roots. A tasty hot sauce from the roots can be prepared by cooking them in vinegar. vii. Moringa Oil Oil is obtained by pressing the seeds. The oil content of dehydrated seed (kernel) is approximately 42 percent, which is brilliant yellow coloured. It is used a lubricant for the fire machinery such as timepieces because it has little tendency to deteriorate and become rancid and sticky. viii. Cosmetic products Moringa oil has tremendous cosmetic value and is used in body and hair care. It is used in stain preparations and ointments. It has nourishing and emollient properties, making it excellent massage oil due to the presence of palmitoleic, oleic and linoleic acids, vitamin A and C and unsaturated fatty acid. It is used in perfumery industry also due to its effleurage property. There are also 84
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WORLD Moringa soap, shampoo, scalp, face wash etc. Annual Moringa with high yield Scientists at the Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam in Tamil Nadu have developed a new high yielding annual Moringa. Christened PKM-2 Annual Moringa, the new variety has recorded an average production of 98 tonnes per hectare. It produces long pods of about 126 cm with a girth of 8.40 cm. On an average each of these pods weighs about 250 gm. The pods are fleshy with good cooking quality. The variety flowers are about 110 days and the first harvest of fruits can be had between 170 and 180 days after sowing. The variety is highly suited for ratooning also. Each tree will yield an average 220 fruits. Occasionally the branches break off due to the heavy weight of the pods. The other famous high yielding varieties of Moringa are Rohit-1, Coimbatore 2, PKM-1, and Siddhi Vinayaka.
Clearing water with moringa seeds 1. Remove the seeds from the dried pods. Discard the kennels having dark spots or other signs of damage. 2. Crush the seed kennels to fine powder and sieve them (0.8 mm mesh) 3. Add the powder (app: 2gm) to one cup of clean water, pour into a bottle and shake for 5 minutes. 4. Filter the mixture through a clean cloth into a bucket of dirty water that is to be heated. 5. Stir the water quickly for two minutes and slowly for 10-15 minutes. During the slow mixing, the fine particles and bacteria will begin to clump together then sink and settle to the bottom of the bucket. 6. Cover the bucket and leave it undisturbed until the water became clear and add impurities have sink to the bottom. This may take up to an hour. 7. The clean water may be siphoned or poured off the top of the bucket or filtered through a clean cloth. The process removes at least 90 percent of the bacteria and the impurities that cause turbidity.
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Interview
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NITI AAYOG’S VISION OF DOUBLING FARMER’S INCOME In conversation with Prof. Ramesh Chand Member, NITI Aayog
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In the current scenario, it has been evaluated that the people involved with agriculture are moving away from the agriculture sector and taking up new jobs and looking forward to other sectors. This trend of deviation is supposed to attract better prices for the few involved in this sector.
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he ministries of agriculture and finance and the NITI Aayog has pitched in time and again emphasizing at doubling income of the sector which holds the majority of population of the nation: Agriculture. The vision was dreamt in the elementary months of the year 2016. Now approaching the climax of another year i.e. 2018, Krishi Jagran is keen to understand the plans, developments and look at the progress and problems from the eyes of the government at the much talked about slogan of the NDA government “Doubling Farmers’Income”. Prof Ramesh Chand, an eminent agri-economist is a member of NITI Aayog, who made himself available to get in conversation with
Krishi Jagran on few subjects. Q. How much of doubling farmers’ income is synonymous with doubling farm output? Doubling farmers’ income and doubling farm output are two different things. Doubling farm output in the span of 6-7 year is an impossible task considering the vast size of our country. One third of increase in the income of farmers has to be brought by introducing improvements in the policies. Farmers should receive remunerative prices for their produce. An increase of 4-4.5 % growth in the productivity would be considered victorious and the target of doubling farmers’ income would be achievable for that matter. India produces crops on less than 45% of its land area and 60% of the land is left idle for the 7-8 months due to no crop coverage. The overall crop density falls short which has to be increased. The demand pattern of the population is also varying. The population growth is less than 1.5 %. The intake of cereals per person has stood at the constant level, thereby increasing the demand of fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk etc. Q. We often talk of increasing farmers’ income by increasing their remunerative prices. Would it have any reflection on the overall food inflation? By increasing the remunerative prices of the income, the govt. is focusing majorly on increasing the farmers’ access to market. At present there are some 6-7 intermediaries which control the price factor. Once the number of intermediaries will be reduced, farmers will get fair prices and thereby the scope of better income will be enhanced. The price spread has to be downsized for an effective conclusion. This will not only help the farmers but also the consumers. Since the profit margins of chain of intermediary will be brought down and farmers and consumers both will enjoy better prices. Across the chain if price jacks up, and unnecessary intermediaries are removed there shall be no hike in inflation. Q. What is the Government’s current action plan on Doubling farmer’s income? The government looks towards increasing the productivity which can be achieved by efficient use of agri-inputs. Diversification on the field with horticultural and high valued crops would
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Interview
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Though India is a net exporter in agricultural produce, which exports double than that of what she imports and is the leader in rice export, faces extreme hunger. The purchasing power capacity of the population is low. Also there is no awareness of nutrition amongst the people; there should be diversity in diet/ food intake.
fetch better incomes for the farmers. Efficient use of natural resources like land and water and shift to non-farm activities will build up high potential towards achieving the goal. The central government has come up with a comprehensive agenda where central govt. has its policies to run, but the states have to implemented them in an efficient manner, otherwise the whole purpose of the plan will be defeated. The demand pattern of the population is also varying. The population growth is less than 1.5 %. The cereal intake per person has stood at the constant level, thereby increasing the demand of fruits, vegetables, eggs and milk etc. Diversity in the food production increases the remuneration up to four times. High valued crops have to be focused to earn better prices of the produce. Otherwise, increased production would also lead to price depression.
KISANeSTORE India's first Agro- estore www.kisanestore.com
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In the current scenario, it has been evaluated that the people involved with agriculture are moving away from the agriculture sector and taking up new jobs and looking forward to other sectors. This trend of deviation is supposed to attract better prices for the few involved in this sector. Post harvest value addition is another important sector which is to be focused by the farmers. Farmers avoid proper grading of the produce which according to them saves labor but it instead decreases the price and value of the commodity since sellers has a tendency to be biased towards the inferior quality goods. Emphasis should be on better processing. Markets have to be properly developed and its linkage with the farmers has to be strengthened. Four major initiative namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana(PMFBY) , Electronic National Agriculture
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Market (e-NAM) and Soil Health Card has been doing good to serve the purpose. Q. Agriculture being a state subject, how much consensus among the states and center on this subject are there? It was long before, that states used to produce and sell most of its produce in its vicinity. Most of the states are selling their produce to the other states now. Flexible state laws and trade policies should be focused the most. All the states and center have to have work together progressively for that. NITI Aayog has asked for some secondary guidelines from the states so that the center and the state can be brought at consensus to work parallel. Whenever bumper production is announced, states well in time ask the NAFED and FCI to procure the produce from the farmers. There are various targets set for the state in terms of irrigation, seed accessibility, fertilizer consumption, and soil health cards etc. which are met by the state government. The scheme like Pradham Mantri Krishi Sichayi Yojana, PMKSY shares a 60-40 ratio from centre and state respectively. Center can only provide model and finance to the states, Implementation has to be done by the states. ICAR - DAC has taken a lead to form state coordination committee for every state, which has their own action plans and models. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana is an example of state –center coordination, where 2000 cr. premium was submitted by the farmers and 10,000 cr. of claims has been disbursed to the farmers. We have to create environment wherein farmer can attain their goals and they could dream big for themselves. Q. Is there any roadmap for perishable goods? There are multiple strategies or approaches in this direction, one of which is Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). Amendments are done in the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority Act, WDRA, so that farmers can keep their produce in WDRA affiliated godowns. The WDRA warehouse receipt is negotiable, and farmers can avail themselves of loan reproducing the receipt to the banks. Processing capacity has to be increased and integration of one state with another for marketing has to take flight. Good storage facility and infrastructure can bring a boon in perishable goods prices. Farmers should store their produce in the warehouses to make an exponential growth in their incomes. www.krishijagran.com
WORLD Q. Govt. has keen interest on encouraging private sector participation in seed production and distribution. How to keep check on seed quality and prices? Competition assures quality and prices equally. If sufficient number of players will be involved in the business, there will be no need to keep a check on it. We have examples of Cotton and Maize which are private sector initiatives. North Bihar where corn is being produced abundantly is exporting the surplus to South –Eastern countries. If the private and public sector would go hand in hand, a lot and better can be achieved. Q. NITI Ayog presented India’s VNR (Voluntary National Review) on implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda. What are the aims and framework of the same considering our poor performance of Rank 100 in the Hunger Index? Good Health and Zero hunger are the two stressed points of SDGs. Though India is a net exporter in agricultural produce, which exports double than that of what she imports and is the leader in rice export, faces extreme hunger. The purchasing power capacity of the population is low. Also there is no awareness of nutrition amongst the people; there should be diversity in diet/ food intake. NITI AYOG has a new member Dr. Paul who is an eminent neonatologist, would focus on the health and nutritional sector. Adequate nutritious food along with cleanliness is the integrated approach, to fight this problem. Many approaches like increasing crops’ nutrition density in wheat by introducing high zinc content has been brought to fields. It has been planned to introduce millets in the PDS system, which has better nutritional quality. Bajra, Ragi, Sorghum etc should be included in the diet for diversified diet. Nutrition is a complex issue. Rate of improvement in nutrition is worse than the rate of improvement in poverty.
Monika Mondal
Associate Editor Content Development Mob.: 9891755566 Email: monika@krishijagran.com
Vibhuti Narayan
Correspondent, Krishi Jagran, New Delhi 9891828266 Email: vibhuti@krishijagran.com
Imran Khan
Senior Correspondent, Krishi Jagran, New Delhi 9582957538 Email: imran@krishijagran.com
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future food
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PLANT DERIVED MEAT FOOD FOR FUTURE?
Karishma Sebastian & Meagle Joseph P
PhD Scholars, Dept. of Pomology & Floriculture College of Agriculture, Vellayani
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eat is the first preference by choice of non-vegetarian consumers worldwide as it can satisfy all the needs to consume typical textured, flavoured, juicy, chewy food that will meet the nutritional requirements too. Meat is considered as the highest quality protein with appealing taste. Meat protein has all the essential amino acids closely resembling the human body which, make them highly nutritious. But, meat has always been tagged with some negative impression due to high cholesterol and a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids, which can not only make one fatty but also put at the risk of heart disease and strokes. A new consumer group, who reduce their meat consumption in their daily diet, is growing rapidly. This change in eating pattern requires new 90
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products to fulfill consumer demands of healthy and tasty products which replace the function of meat in a dish and contribute a similar high protein nutritional value.This has led to a rising interest in plant protein based meat alternatives. Meat analogue, also called a meat substitute or imitation meat provides primarily texture, flavour and appearance and/or chemical characteristics of specific types of meat. The main function of meat analogue is to replace meat in the diet. The consumer gets full satisfaction by consumption of meat analogue due to its typical meaty texture, appearance and flavour which are being imparted during the skilled production of meat analogue. It maintains nutritional self-sufficiency due to presence of folate, antioxidants and phytochemicals. It helps imparts health benefits. ie, it provides protection against heart disease, lowers blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of www.krishijagran.com
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cancer. The history of meat analogue dates back to 1896 when peanut was used as protein base. Economic viability and nutritional self-sufficiency have made the meat analogue the preference of present world. Some meat analogues are based on centuries-old recipes with wheat gluten, rice, mushrooms, legumes etc. The traditional meat analogues are tofu, tempeh, kinema, natto,
seitan etc. Water, textured vegetable protein, non-textured protein, flavours, fat, binding and colouring agents form the major ingredients of meat analogue. Different forms of meat analogues available in market are coarse ground, emulsified and loose fill. The examples of former are vegetable protein based burgers, sausages, nuggets, meat balls and pizza toppings. The emulsified meat analogues are smoother than coarse ground and are formed by binding vegetable protein and oil, which does not bind naturally and examples are frankfurters and spreads. Loose fill meat analogues are small bits of vegetable protein topped with diced tomatoes, sour cream and sauce. Meat analogues are developed by emulsion preparation followed by formation of chunks (conventional process) and by using extrusion mechanism of food extruder (commercial process). Even though meat analogues are obtained from a large number of protein sources www.krishijagran.com
WORLD like soyabeans, legumes, cereals, mushroom and mycoprotein, bulk production is based on soyabeans, which is probably still the cheapest common source of protein raw material. Soya beans are leguminous crop, primarily being used as traditional food in various forms, such as soya milk, tofu and fermented products which now have attracted peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention as an economic and high quality vegetable protein source for humans. Textured soya proteins are extremely versatile food ingredients due to their meat like texture after hydration and amino acid composition that provide similar protein quality to that of animal proteins. One such textured soya protein product we all are familiar with is soya chunks which contain 54.2 gram of protein per 100 gram. Legume seeds are a unique supply of protein in the diet. The use of legume protein products as ingredients in processed food has increased due to its capacity to improve the nutritional quality, texture and other functional properties of the product or for economic reasons. Food products containing wheat gluten also provides an endless array of textured vegetable protein ingredients. Most successfully used mushroom for meat analogue preparation is Portobella mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). The strong umami flavour (appetitive taste) of mushroom lends itself to an endless array of dishes and cushions. Apart from these, mushrooms are a great source of nutrients, minerals, B vitamins, antioxidants and are extremely low in calories. Generally filamentous fungus (Fusarium venenatum) is best chosen for the production of meat substitute, because it is belived that the mycelia could impart a fibrous texture, comparable to that of meat to the final product. The primary problem that limits the incorporation of a large amount of textured vegetable protein as alternative meat product is the undesirable flavour associated with soya derived products. Anti nutrient factors present in legumes and cereals especially gluten content in wheat causing celiac disease is another drawback. Vegetables, cereals and legumes which are easily available at a low cost can be utilized for supplementing protein requirement of consumers. So meat analogues can be made out of these products and can conclude that there exists a great demand as well as bright future for meat analogues in market, keeping aside few constraints which need solution but with a heap of opportunities. JANUARY 2018
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agri news
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New technology of New Holland Agriculture EARN MONEY FROM STRAW
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he Indian capital has some of the most noxious air in the world, fouled by a dangerous combination of exhaust from vehicles running on dirty fuel, diesel generators, road dust, burning of waste and crop burning in neighbouring states. It’s true that construction and vehicle use degrade the National Capital Region’s air quality. But the real problem comes from beyond its territory. In the nearby states of Punjab, Haryana and to some extent Western Uttar Pradesh, farmers have about three weeks to clear their fields of paddy straw in the fall so that they can plant wheat, their winter crop. Stubble burning is the deliberate setting fire of the straw stubble that remains after wheat and other grains have been harvested. The practice was widespread until the 1990s, when governments increasingly restricted its use. At the same time, in England and Wales, stubble burning has been effectively prohibited since 1993. In Australia stubble burning is “not the preferred option for the majority of farmers” but is permitted and recommended in some circumstances. Farmers are advised to rake and burns windrows and leave a fire break of 3 metres around any burn off. India produces 140 million tonnes of paddy and 280 million tonnes of rice straw in a year. From late September through October of each year, farmers mainly from Punjab and Haryana burn an estimated 35 million tons of crop waste from their wheat fields after harvesting, as a low-cost straw-disposal practice to 92
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reduce the turnaround time between harvesting and sowing for the second (winter) crop. The state of Punjab alone produces about 20 million tons of paddy straw. Roughly 85 to 90 percent of that is burnt in the field. Smoke from this burning produces a cloud of particulates visible in images from space and has produced a “toxic cloud” in New Delhi, resulting in declarations of an air-pollution emergency. The problem worsened with the mechanization of agriculture. When paddy is harvested by machines, only the rice grains get plucked and long stumps of the crop are left rooted. “In our hurry to prepare the field for the Rabi crop, we would just burn the straw. But when harvesting is done manually, the crop is hacked almost from its base, removing the need to burn the stumps. Although the harvesters are equipped with Indian-manufactured “Happy Seeder” that shred the crop residues into small pieces and uniformly spread them across the field, as an alternative to burning the crops, farmers complain that the cost of these machines is prohibitive compared to burning the fields. There are alternatives. For instance, farmers could convert straw into such economically useful resources as bio pellets. However, they still find it more cost effective to burn it. Just now, northern India is enduring a temperature inversion, which has trapped air in the region and concentrated all that particulate smoke in Delhi’s atmosphere. New Holland Agriculture has presented techniwww.krishijagran.com
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cal solutions to combat the practice of burning crop-residue and stubble. New Holland Agriculture’s machinery such as Tractors, Combine Harvesters with Chopper, Rakes, Balers, Happy Seeders, Shredo Mulchers and MB Ploughs have already been used in the fields, enabling farmers to manage the crop residue instead of burning it. A new project in a Punjab village is showing how straw management techniques can increase farmers’ output and reduce
WORLD hances the soil nutrients and adds organic matter, resulting in better future crop yields. After this, a Reversible Mould-Board (RMB) Plough penetrates deep into the soil and inverts the cut slice, resulting in excellent incorporation of stubble, straw and weeds into the soil. The effects of this are faster decomposition and enhancement of soil organic matter, which improves root penetration, plant growth and yield for the next crop. Rotavator pulverizes the soil after ploughing and prepares the seedbed. A Happy Seeder enables direct seeding of wheat in the cut straw left by the combine harvester with its Chopper system, significantly reducing the farmer’s input cost and helping to preserve soil moisture and increase soil fertility. New Holland’s RKG 129 gyro rake collects the crop residue in windrows for easy pick-up by a baler. This increases baler efficiency by 25 percent to 60 percent and New Holland’s market-leading BC5060 Square Baler makes consistently dense, wellshaped bales that are easy to handle. With over 700 balers in operation in the country, New Holland is a leader in this segment and takes pride in preventing the burning of more than 1.2 million tonnes of crop-residue each year.
air pollution at the same time as protecting nutrients for future crop growth. The project was initiated in Kallar Majri village, Patiala District, by the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to encourage the use of these technologies. New Holland Agriculture, under its CSR program, recently joined the project, providing farmers with machinery for straw management, together with all necessary training and technical support to carry out this initiative. The straw management process starts with New Holland’s Combine Harvester, which can be used in combination with several implements for further processing of the crop residue. The Straw Chopper can be attached to both the Combine Harvester and the Happy Seeder or alternatively to both the Shredo Mulcher and the Happy Seeder to leave the chopped straw on the surface (mulching).To incorporate the straw into the soil post harvesting, a combination of Shredo Mulcher, MB Plough, Rotavator and Seed-Drill can be adopted. The most beneficial method for farmers is to collect the straw for selling to biomass-based power plants by using Rotary Slasher followed by Rake and Baler. Alternatively, a combination of Straw Slasher, Rake, Baler, Rotavator and Seed Drill can be used to collect the residue on the field and prepare it for the next crop. Shredo Mulcher cuts, shreds and mulches the crop stubble and loose straw left behind by the combine harvester. This helps save soil moisture, enwww.krishijagran.com
The proper use of machinery can reduce the turnaround window to clear and re-cultivate the field, it can maximize yield outputs while protecting nutrients in the field and reducing air pollution. The crop residue collected can be used to feed animals or to produce energy in biomass plants representing an additional source of income for the farmer. New Holland is the industry leader in biomass collection for power generation by paddy straw and other crop-residues and cogeneration from cane trash in sugar mills. In just one paddy season, each New Holland baler can help produce electricity for around 900 rural homes for one year. More than 90 percent of paddy straw in India is burned in fields, taking air-pollution to levels that can damage human health. In Punjab and Haryana alone approximately 35 million tonnes of paddy straw and stubble are burned every year. But since starting this project, 1,000 tonnes of crop stubble from 400 acres of farmland in Kallar Majri village has been baled and the practice of burning crop-residue and stubble has been fully eliminated. The solution they are proposing can also bring in additional revenue to the farmer as he can sell the straw instead of burning it. The most beneficial method for farmers is to collect the straw for selling to biomass-based power plants by using Rotary Slasher followed by Rake and Baler. Alternatively, a combination of Straw Slasher, Rake, Baler, Rotavator and Seed Drill can be used to collect the residue on the field and prepare it for the next crop. JANUARY 2018
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Krishi Jagran to promote e-RaKAM,
Signed MoU with CRWC
provide appropriate assistance in form of training, training material, literature for educating the benefits of e-RaKAM and will hold road shows, discussions, lectures etc with Krishi Jagran. KJ will promote e-RaKAM through its promotional activities in 12 languages and 23 states and also provide appropriate assistance in form of infrastructure and manpower. The agreement allows the display of promotional material and to include these centers in the list of e-RaKAM Centers.
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rishi Jagran, largest circulated Agri rural magazine in India, has signed an agreement with Central Railside Warehouse Company limited (CRWC) on 22nd of December 2017 at New Delhi for creating awareness among farming community about the benefits of e-Rashtriya Kisan Agri Mandi (e-RaKAM). On behalf of CRWC, Managing Director K. U Thankachen, signed the agreement with M C Dominic, Managing Editor, Krishi Jagran.
Under this agreement, both the firm has acknowledged the importance of their respective efforts, necessary support, guidance and resources to ensure the success of the project. CRWC will
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This joint venture will open more options to farmers for selling produce and making competitive returns. It will pave way for the facility to consolidate their produce and sell at MSP and beyond. Buyers can purchase through a centralized portal with standard procedures and pay through e-Payment. The pact offers e-Auctions facilities for Farm Producing Organizations. It will also enable direct participation thereby reducing intermediary cost and avail integrated logistics services under one roof. e-Rashtriya Kisan Agri Mandi (e-RaKAM), is a robust e-Market for purchase, sale, price discovery, MSP booking etc. through the network developed by MSTC. It offers an exclusive e-auction platform for Agri Products with its objective for transparent sale transactions and price discovery. It unshackles the potential of Indian farmers who has been trapped in a vicious cycle of Middle man and low margin, providing integrated logistics services like warehousing, pest control, first mile and last mile connectivity and facilitating exports.
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Published on 25th and Posted on 27th-28th at NDPSO of Every Month
RNI NO. DELENG.2015/65174
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Postal Reg. No. DL-SW-1/4191/16-18
Financial assistance @ 25% of the project cost limited to Rs.50 lakh for entrepreneurs and 33.3% of the project cost limited to Rs. 50 lakh per project for SC/ST Women entrepreneurs for establishment of coconut processing units.
xÉÉÊ®úªÉ±É Ê´ÉEòÉºÉ ¤ÉÉäbÇ÷
(EÞòÊ¹É B´ÉÆ 100 ÊEòºÉÉxÉ Eò±ªÉÉhÉ ¨ÉÆj2018 ÉɱɪÉ, ¦ÉÉ®úiÉ ºÉ®úEòÉ®ú) JANUARY EòÉäSÉÒ, Eäò®ú±É, ]äõʱɡòÉäxÉ : 0484-2377266, 67
Coconut Development Board [MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE, www.krishijagran.com GOVERNMENT OF INDIA] KOCHI, KERALA. PH : 0484-2377266, 67