Naidu seeks Rs 200 cr Central aid for coconut mkt development
Says farmers continue to receive low and unstable prices due to the lack of organised tender coconut markets
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Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has made a strong plea for a Central assistance of Rs200 crore for coconut development programme in the State to benefit several farmers.
In a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he noted that Andhra Pradesh is one of the leading coconut-producing States in India, standing fourth in cultivation with 1.08 lakh hectares, 1735 million nuts in production, and the highest productivity in the country at 16,000 nuts per hectare.
Despite this natural advantage, farmers continue to receive low and unstable prices due to the lack of organised tender coconut markets, inadequate processing infrastructure, frequent climate-related losses, and increasing pest and disease incidence.
To address these challenges and improve farmer incomes, the Chief Minister outlined a Rs200-crore comprehensive programme, centred on modernising markets, expanding processing capacity and introducing advanced support systems for farmers.
Key initiatives proposed in the programme include establishment of modern Tender Coconut Market Hubs in major production clusters, modelled on Karnataka’s Maddur model and setting up an Integrated Coconut Processing Park to promote production of high-value products such as Virgin Coconut Oil, desiccated coconut, tender coconut water and coir items.
He said the package should cover expansion of nurseries and enhancement of quality planting material, including the introduction of the climate-resilient Niu Leka Dwarf variety and
adoption of AI-based advisories, drone-based monitoring and spraying, and digital market-access systems. The letter written by Naidu wanted strengthening of pest and disease management systems alongside farmer training initiatives.
The Chief Minister stated that the programme will directly benefit coconut farmers by increasing farm-gate prices from Rs11–15 per nut to Rs35–40, reducing climate and pest-related losses by 20–25 per cent, creating 15,000 rural jobs, and positioning Andhra Pradesh as a leading national hub for tender coconut and value-added coconut products.
He requested the Union Government to extend the Rs200-crore assistance under an appropriate scheme, noting its alignment with national priorities such as Doubling Farmers’ Income, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Export Promotion and Rural Employment.
On December 2, Minister Nara Lokesh met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh in New Delhi, where he highlighted the challenges faced by the State’s coconut farmers and stressed the need for Central support.
