State government announces support price for coconut

Panaji, Feb 8 (UNI) Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat today announced a support price of Rs 4 per coconut to the Coconut growers who were badly affected, due to the fall in the price and pest infestation, in the recent years.

Speaking to reporters here, the Chief Minister, in the presence of Agriculture Minister Mr Vishwajeet Rane, said that the farmers will be provided the difference between Rs 4 and the price he gets on selling his produce to the registered coconut traders.

Mr Kamat said that the scheme will be implemented soon and it will be made effective from ''Goa Liberation Day'', which falls on December 19.

He also said that the scheme will be operated through the Taluka level zonal agriculture office of the agriculture department.

The Scheme will be non operative when the price of wholesale coconut goes beyond Rs 4 each, the Chief Minister added.

For availing the support price for coconuts, a farmers should sell the coconuts to traders registered with Goa State Agriculture Marketing Board. The traders will issue a receipt duly endorsed the board. A zonal agriculture officer will certify that the said farmer is a bonafide farmer and calculate the difference between the price received by him and Rs 4.

The total financial implication expected upto March 15, 2008 is Rs 100 lakh.

Government is already paying support price to famer for arecanut to the extent of difference between the price received by them and Rs 100 per kg of arecanut.

UNI SRN SR AK DB2014