02 Apr 2020  |   04:55am IST

To deal with shortage of coconut pluckers, a Ponda farmer is showing others the solution by 'climbing up'

Team Herald

Ponda: The acute shortage of coconut plumbers has been a growing concern across the State, not only for those who have grown coconut trees in their compounds, but farmers as well. One such situation arose at the farm of Harish Prabhu, from Vagurme, Savoiverem, Ponda. Unable to find and bring any coconut plumber to his farm, he decided to learn the skill and now has become a coconut plucker himself.  He added that this was necessary for the health of the trees and not to allow the coconuts to go to waste. 

“Nowadays, Goa faces a shortage of coconut pluckers as the ones who are still doing are first of all hard to find and secondly, they are either old or have retired and the younger generation has no interest in taking up the trade,” said Prabhu. 

Highlighting his plight, he pointed out that his father had been maintaining the farm but for years they had problems with the plucking the coconuts, due to which they would lose its freshness and those that did fall down were too dry. 

To overcome these obstacles and find a solution, last year, he bought a climbing machine that had been provided under the government scheme and also undertook a training course.  He however cautioned that one shouldn’t rely entirely on the machine and needs to learn the skill of climbing trees as in the event of the machine failing, you have to learn how to stay safe and climb back down.

“Further one has to develop the skill to identify and differentiate between the tender and mature coconuts and also how to clean the trees, “Prabhu added. 

Now, he climbs coconut trees with ease and has been plucking coconuts at regular intervals. 

When asked if he has taken orders from other farms and households, he said that he has not looked it at as a business opportunity but that in case his neighbours of friends need his help, he goes and plucks the coconuts from their trees too. 

He however advised other farmers to develop the skills themselves which would help them address the same difficulties he had when he needed a coconut plucker.