The Union Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh has appealed to the agriculture scientists that they should develop techniques adaptable to the needs of huge number of marginal farmers in the country. He was speaking on the occasion of completion of centenary year of IRAR- Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) situated at Kasargod in Kerala.
Agricultural holdings in Kerala are 0.22 hectare against the national average of 1.15 hectare. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt unified agriculture system as well as low volume – high value crops so as to make agriculture a profit making sector, Singh said.
By adopting multi dimensional crops cycle system, with the inclusion of coconut along with black pepper, banana, pineapple, ginger, turmeric, jaifal and jimicand, the farmers of the state will be benefited, he underlined.
Singh said India is among the world’s leading coconut producer nations. Kerala has a significant contribution in this. In the year 2015-16, coconut products worth 1450 cr. rupees have been exported, according to Coconut Development Board figures, he said.