Port Blair, Sept 03: On the occasion of World Coconut Day-2021, an awareness programme on ‘Plantation crops based cropping systems for higher profits’ was conducted on September 2 at ICAR-CIARI under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Palms Project. Participants from women self help groups, farmers and students were taken to experimental blocks in which they were demonstrated about high density cultivation of black pepper in coconut plantations and arecanut based intercropping blocks with cinnamon and woody pepper. Participants visited Horticultural Plants Propagation Unit of the institute, wherein they were shown various potential intercrops and benefits of growing them. Techniques of their multiplication were also demonstrated to them. To promote cultivation of various crops, planting material of Indian bay leaf, long pepper, lemon grass and passion fruit were distributed to them. The programme was organized under the guidance of Director, ICAR-CIARI.
Dr. Ajit Arun Waman, Principal Investigator of the project, highlighted the importance of celebration of this event. He emphasized that plantation crops have a pivotal role to play in the island agriculture and profitability of farming could be improved successfully by adoption of intercropping using profitable crops. Dr. Pooja Bohra, Scientist, ICAR-CIARI, in her address detailed about various major and minor fruit crops which could be incorporated in the plantation based cropping systems. She explained about potential of underutilized fruits of the islands in ecological, nutritional and financial security of island farmers.
