Farmers demand establishment of coconut development board

Coimbatore Members of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayeegal Sangam, a farmers’ association affiliated to the All India Kisan Sabha, staged a protest in front of the Coimbatore South taluk office on Monday to hi

Coimbatore Members of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayeegal Sangam, a farmers’ association affiliated to the All India Kisan Sabha, staged a protest in front of the Coimbatore South taluk office on Monday to highlight a set of demands that included establishment of coconut development board.

Led by president S. Palanisamy, the farmers said more than two lakh hectare was under coconut in Coimbatore, spread over Kinathukadavu, Pollachi, Negamam, Sulthanpet, Perur, Thondamuthur, Mettupalayam, Sirumugai and also in neighbouring Tirupur district.

Hundreds of farmers cultivating coconut had to brave white fly and other pest attacks and diseases. They also had to protect the crop from natural calamities and wild animals. Dependent on those farmers were micro and small units that had various parts of the coconut tree as raw material.