Lok Sabha Question No. 5258 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-24
Subject: Problems faced by Coconut Growers in Karnataka
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. C N Manjunath

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5258

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 TH  MARCH 2026

## PROBLEMS FACED BY COCONUT GROWRS IN KARNATAKA

5258.  DR C N MANJUNATH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the problems faced by coconut growers in the State of Karnataka;
- (b) if so, the details of measures taken by the Government to address the incidence of pests such as Black Headed Caterpillar (BHC), Rugose Whitefly, Red Palm Weevil and diseases such as Stem Bleeding and Leaf Blight in coconut crops, along with steps taken to increase coconut productivity;
- (c) whether the coconut crop is considered under the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS);
- (d) whether the Government proposes to include the coconut crop under the Cluster Development  Programme  (CDP) under the Mission  for  Integrated Development  of Horticulture (MIDH), if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  whether  the  Government proposes to  introduce  Minimum Support Price (MSP) under the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme to protect the interests of mango farmers in Karnataka during the ensuring cropping season and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a) & (b): The Government is taking various measures to address the problems of coconut growers in the country including the state of Karnataka, the most important being the incidence of pests and diseases such as Black Headed Caterpillar (BHC), Rugose Whitefly, Red Palm Weevil, Stem Bleeding, and Leaf Blight-and to improve coconut productivity. Some of the measures taken by the government are as under:

-  The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  (MoAFW)  constituted  a Working  Group  (2024)  and  a  Central  Expert  Team  (2025)  to  assess  major coconut pests and diseases in Karnataka. It found that about 12.2-14.7% of the  coconut  area  is  infested  with  pests  and  diseases  and  recommended suitable management measures.
-  An amount of Rs 174.55 crore has been utilized in Karnataka during the last five  years  for  implementing  field-oriented  schemes  with  major  focus  on productivity improvement and pest and disease management.
-  The  Coconut  Development  Board  (CDB),  under  Ministry  of  Agriculture  & Farmers welfare conducted 144 programmes during the last five years and 16 programmes in 2025-26 covering pest and disease management aspects in Karnataka.
-  The CDB's Demonstration-cum-Seed production Farm (DSP) farm at Mandya produced and distributed 11.27 lakh biological control ectoparasitoid , Goniozus nephantidis for controlling coconut black-headed caterpillar during the last five years.
-  Under the Scheme Technology Mission on Coconut, CDB supported 5 projects in Karnataka with an assistance of Rs 1.06 crore for developing technologies for pest and disease management during last 5 years.
-  During  the  current year  Rs  10.89  crore  was  released  for  'Productivity Improvement through Coconut Based Cropping System' (3757 ha) and Rs 4.52 crore for Replanting & Rejuvenation (1000 ha) with special emphasis on pest and disease management in Karnataka.

(c): Government has introduced yield based Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)  and  weather  index  based  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop  Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) from Kharif 2016 to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of natural calamities, adverse weather incidence and to stabilize the income of farmers etc.  This scheme is voluntary for States as well as farmers.  All  willing  farmers  are  eligible  to  enroll  under  the  scheme.  The  State  of Karnataka has been implementing the scheme since its inception in 2016.

(d): Coconut , being a horticulture crop,  is included under the Cluster Development Program (CDP) under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). (e):    To  provide  remunerative  price  to  the  farmers,  Government  is  implementing  a scheme  called  the  Market  Intervention  Scheme (MIS),  a  component  under  PMAASHA, for perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities not covered under MSP, in order to prevent distress sale during periods of excess production and price fall. The scheme is operational when market prices decline by at least 10% compared to  the  previous  normal  year.  The  scheme  becomes  operational  at  the  request  of States/UTs, which share the losses on a 50:50 basis (75:25 in case of North-Eastern States).  The  scheme  also  includes  provision  for  Price  Differential  Payment  and support for transportation and storage of TOP crops (Tomato, Onion and Potato) from producing to consuming regions.

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