Prof. Thomas Urged to Make Coconut Farming More Profitable

Professor K. V. Thomas, Hon’ble Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution visited Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasargod on 2nd July 2010.
Prof. Thomas suggested that the availability of disease free planting material should be increased.  Considering the shortage of climbers, efforts to popularize the dwarf varieties should be made. The production of tissue cultured planting material of arecanut should be commercialized. “Facilities at CPCRI will be strengthened so as to make it as a center for the farmers and other interested persons to visit and learn technologies of coconut cultivation”,  he stated. To make coconut and arecanut farming more remunerative, he urged farmers to cultivate the intercrops and adopt the integrated farming system developed by the Institute.

Hon’ble minister visited the Institute farm and the field experiments on high density multispecies cropping system, mixed farming, germplasm evaluation trial, vermicomposting and demonstration of climbing device.

Prof. Thomas addressed the scientists of the Institute and expressed his pleasure on the outstanding research achievements of CPCRI in area of its mandatory crops. Dr. George V. Thomas, Director, CPCRI made a presentation on the activities and research achievements of the institute.

(Source: NAIP sub-project on Mass Media Mobilization, DIPA with inputs from CPCRI, Kasargod)