Port Blair, Sept 08: The Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma, has taken up the cause of Copra Farmers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including Tribal growers, with Shri. Narendra Tomer, Minister of Agriculture in New Delhi.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Agriculture, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma highlighted the current challenges faced by Copra Farmers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, preventing them from benefiting from the recently introduced Price Support Scheme, 2023, by the Ministry of Agriculture. This significant government initiative has come to the Islands after a decade-long wait.
Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma noted that a majority of the Copra Farmers still employ traditional, rudimentary open-fire methods to convert coconuts into copra. This outdated technique results in their copra falling short of the Fair Average Quality (FAQ) criteria established by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) under the Scheme.
He further emphasized that unfavorable climatic conditions, lengthy transportation durations, logistical challenges, and multiple handling have all contributed to farmers’ inability to meet NAFED’s set specifications under the scheme.
In his plea to the Minister of Agriculture, New Delhi, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma requested the relaxation of NAFED’s FAQ Grade requirements. This flexibility is especially critical for the tribal growers, who rely solely on coconut farming for their livelihood.
