MARGAO: Even as Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardessai disclosed that tender coconut would be marketed in the tourism sector, the Coconut Development Board Kochi agreed to provide 10,000 saplings of a hybrid variety of coconut to be cultivated in Goa.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the seminar on Coconut, Sardessai said coconut which is called Kalpvraksh because of its immense benefits said its cultivation has to be promoted so that tender coconut water could be the drink for tourists visiting Goa.

He said it was lamentable that although around 25,800 hectares in Goa are under coconut plantation the yield is only 5000 to 5500 per hectare when scientific management of the plant can yield 40,000 coconuts per hectare.

“The hybrid variety DT prepared by the Coconut Development Board can give a yield of 12,000 and we propose to plant 1,000 such saplings per constituency and I appeal to MLAs to identify land where this plantation can be done,” he said.

While disclosing his department was in the process of preparing a tender coconut policy, he however said the policy would be announced only after the Coconut Development Board allots the seed nuts.

“If we get 10,000 saplings for the next four years, we can plant 1000 coconut trees in each of the constituency and we would even ask the comunidade to participate in this exercise where we can create coconut grooves even on top of the hills,” he said.

Later speaking to media persons, he said while the agriculture department would plant the saplings in Comunidade property, the comunidade will have to maintain it and even market the fruit. “Some unemployed youth could be given the responsibility of selling the coconuts and this way it would also generate employment opportunities,” he said disclosing that he is in talks with some comunidades.

He also said the Town and Country Planning Department will even consider giving extra FAR for builders who plant coconut trees.

Chairman of Coconut Development Board Dr Raju Narayan Swamy readily agreed to provide 10,000 seed nuts to the Goa Government but in turn asked for a plan to be prepared for the next financial year and said his agency will help the department prepare it.

He said the CDB is in the process of developing a coconut tree climbing robot as there is a paucity of pluckers and also said they have development a system using regular and infra-red photography to caution of any plant likely to develop a disease and the warning will come 10 days before the disease strikes. Besides he announced that coconut ice cream vending machines would be available shortly.

He urged the Goa government to deputy farmers and particularly self-help group members for training at their institute where they will be taught to prepare value added products of coconut and pointed out that presently 25 products can be prepared from coconut besides the traditional oil and desiccated coconut.

Member of Parliament Narendra Sawaikar urged the agriculture department to popularize the Prime Minister’s Kissan Sanman Yojana under which farmers having less than 5 acres of land will start getting Rs. 6,000 from the centre.

While disclosing plans to promote retail selling of coconut products at airports, railway stations and the metros he appealed to the government to give them some place to set up such a retail outlet in Goa where all coconut products could be sold under one roof.