KOCHI: In a bid to boost coconut farming, the Agriculture Department will soon launch the ‘Kera Gramam’ project in the state. The project will be implemented on cluster-level basis and a total of 44 ‘Kera Gramams’ - each having 250 hectares of coconut farming - will be formed this year.
The project envisages to provide financial assistance of Rs 25,000 per/ha for farmers to make basins around coconut trees, adopt weed control measures, prepare organic manuring, dehusking, plant protection and replacing aged unproductive trees with new ones.
Each ‘Kera Gramam’ will be given a subsidy of Rs 2,000 to procure a coconut climbing machine. The subsidy will be given to procure up to 60 machines for a coconut village.
Further, a financial assistance of Rs 25,000 for developing irrigation facilities, Rs 10,000 for preparing compost units to ensure organic manure availability and Rs 50,000 for setting up a regional coconut tree sapling nursery in each village will be provided, said a release from the Agriculture Department.