Lok Sabha Question No. 1227 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-30
Subject: Support to Coconut and Rubber Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri M K Raghavan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1227

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 TH  JULY, 2024

## SUPPORT TO COCONUT AND RUBBER FARMERS

## 1227.  SHRI M K RAGHAVAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to ensure that Minimum Support Price (MSP) is provided on time to coconut farmers and if so, the details thereof; (b) the steps and measures taken to promote coconut farming in the country; (c) whether the Government has data regarding the total acreage of coconut farms and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether the Government has noticed that rubber farming is becoming a loss making venture and if so, the details taken to ensure that rubber farmers do not incur loss; and whether the Government has data regarding support given to rubber farmers during the last five years by the Union and the State Government of Kerala and if so, the details

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी      ( SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a): The Government of India  has declared  the  Minimum Support Price (MSP)  for Fair Average Quality of milling copra at Rs.11,160/- per quintal and ball copra at Rs.12,000/- per quintal  for  2024  season  based  on  the  recommendations  of  Coconut  Development  Board (CDB) and State Governments. The Central Nodal Agencies for MSP  procurement  are National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF). Whenever the market price falls below the MSP based on proposals from the State Governments, procurement is undertaken at MSP by NAFED from time to time.

- (e) thereof?
- (b): To  promote  coconut  farming  in  the  country,  CDB  provides  technical  and  financial assistance under various schemes of the Board as mentioned below :
- (c): As per the Area and Production Statistics of Coconut (Second Estimate - 2023-24) published  by  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Famers Welfare,  the  area  and  production  under coconut cultivation is 2328 thousand Ha. and 15368 thousand MT respectively.
- (d): The  natural  rubber  producers  who  adopt  recommended  agricultural  practices  are getting adequate price for their product vis-a-vis expenditure. Domestic Natural Rubber prices have increased in the country in the recent past and the monthly average price for the RSS4 grade natural rubber in Kerala during June 2024 was Rs. 200.67 per kg.

| Schemes                         | Schemes                                                                 | Schemes                                                                                                                                                         | Schemes                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Planting material production    | Planting material production                                            | 1.                                                                                                                                                              | Production and distribution of quality planting material a) Establishment of DSP Farms                                                                          |
| Production productivity coconut | & of                                                                    | 2. Expansion of area under coconut 3. Integrated farming for productivity improvement a) Laying out of Demonstration Plots (LoDP) b) Organic Manure Units (OMU) | 2. Expansion of area under coconut 3. Integrated farming for productivity improvement a) Laying out of Demonstration Plots (LoDP) b) Organic Manure Units (OMU) |
| Value addition, Marketing, etc. | Value addition, Marketing, etc.                                         | 5. Technology Mission on Coconut 6. Marketing, Market Intelligence services, Statistics and strengthening of Export Promotion Council (EPC)                     | 5. Technology Mission on Coconut 6. Marketing, Market Intelligence services, Statistics and strengthening of Export Promotion Council (EPC)                     |
| Publicity, Extension, skill     | Publicity, Extension, skill                                             | 8. Information & Information Technology                                                                                                                         | 8. Information & Information Technology                                                                                                                         |
| Insurance Palms Climbers        | - & 9. Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme 10. Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme | - & 9. Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme 10. Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme                                                                                         | - & 9. Coconut Palm Insurance Scheme 10. Kera Suraksha Insurance Scheme                                                                                         |

As  domestic  Natural  Rubber  price  is  highly  sensitive  and  is  linked  to  prevailing international prices of natural rubber, the Government has been taking steps from time to time to ensure that domestic farmers get remunerative prices for their produce.

- (e): Details of support given to rubber farmers by the Government of India through Rubber Board  and  Government  of  Kerala  through  Rubber  Production  Incentive  Scheme  (RPIS) during the last five years are as under :

| YEAR    |   Support from Rubber Board, Government of India Amount (Rs in crore) |   Support from Government of Kerala Amount (Rs in crore) |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| 2019-20 |                                                                 11.06 |                                                   209.47 |
| 2020-21 |                                                                 20.41 |                                                    35.95 |
| 2021-22 |                                                                 21.84 |                                                     2.16 |
| 2022-23 |                                                                 45.37 |                                                   214.11 |
| 2023-24 |                                                                 36.04 |                                                    25.89 |

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