The Hindu Business Line : ‘Increase R&D spending to raise coconut yield’

Higher investment in research and development is needed to cover crop improvement, management, processing and marketing in coconut whose supply exceeding the demand pulls down its oil prices, though there has been an increase in demand for edible oils across the spectrum.

Annual meet

A two-day annual research meet on palms held at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) recently has highlighted on the scope to increase the per tree coconut production in Tamil Nadu from the average 100 nuts to 300 nuts.

Dr C. Ramasamy, Vice-Chancellor, TNAU , presiding over the meet outlined evolving high-yielding varieties with higher oil and copra content, developing tissue culture protocols for micro propagation to bring down the nut bearing time, technology development to enhance taste of tender coconut, use of mulch for moisture conservation and disease management for Kerala wilt, red palm weevil and rhinoceros beetle are areas of R and D focus, besides breeding drought-tolerant variety.

Scientific way of assessing crop loss during drought would go a long way to protect the growers interest, he felt.

The meet called to work out the action plan for coconut research was attended by about 50 scientists involved in coconut research.

More Stories on : Coconut & Copra | Research & Development

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Wheat, rice procurement may hit record high

FICCI writes to Manmohan on basmati export levy

Rogue whirl seen rearing head in Arabian Sea

Inadequate export demand at Coonoor sale

Mixed trend at Kochi tea sale

Gold to test resistance levels

‘Increase R&D spending to raise coconut yield’

Depreciating rupee to help pepper continue its bull run

Maize prices rule firm

Call for research on developing elite biofuel crops

Gold: Bulls have edge in the short term