Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh is the third largest state in coconut cultivation and stood first in the country in terms of yield, said minister for agriculture Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy.
He was speaking at a programme held here under the aegis of the Coconut Development Board and horticulture department, marking the World Coconut Day on Saturday. He said the state government was promoting cultivation of horticulture crops and had given priority to cultivation of coconut.
Mr Reddy said the state government was spending Rs 1,427 crore per annum on promoting coconut production and that it had provided insurance to coconut crop, to protect farmers from risk.
He said the state government was focusing on increasing the coconut cultivation area and promoting manufacturing of specialised products with coconut, its fibre.
"Special marketing facilities are being provided to coconut products as some like coconut milk have a huge demand overseas," he said.
The state government's loan waiver to farmers has become a role model to many states and they are studying our best practices. A Central committee will examine the problems being faced by oil palm farmers and suggest some solutions, Mr Reddy said.
