Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 09 September 2023
Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, the Member of Parliament representing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has championed the cause of Copra Farmers, including tribal growers, with Mr. Narendra Tomer, the Minister of Agriculture, Govt. of India.
In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma drew attention to the current hurdles faced by Copra Farmers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, hindering their participation in the recently launched Price Support Scheme for the year 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture. This significant government initiative, after a decade of long-wait, has finally reached the islands.
Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma highlighted that a majority of Copra Farmers in the region still rely on traditional and rudimentary open-fire methods for coconut-to-copra conversion. This outdated approach results in their copra failing to meet the Fair Average Quality (FAQ) criteria set by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) under the Scheme.
Furthermore, the MP underscored that unfavourable climatic conditions, extended transportation times, logistical complexities, and multiple handling processes have collectively contributed to the inability of farmers to meet NAFED’s stringent specifications.
In his appeal to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma called for a reconsideration of NAFED’s FAQ Grade requirements, advocating for greater flexibility. This flexibility is particularly crucial for tribal growers, for whom coconut farming represents their sole source of livelihood.