CHENNAI: Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said the Centre's proposed coconut promotion scheme will be designed based on farmers' feedback from the ground, asserting that the policy will be shaped in the fields and not merely in offices in Delhi.
Addressing a press conference after interacting with coconut farmers and stakeholders at the IIT-Madras here, the Union Minister said the consultations would directly influence the scheme announced in the Union Budget 2026–27, aimed at improving productivity, stabilising prices and enhancing farmers' income in the coconut sector.
"The government will not frame the scheme sitting in Delhi. We are listening to farmers in their own languages and shaping the policy based on their experiences in the fields, " Chouhan said.
Farmers from major coconut-producing regions, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Assam and Maharashtra, participated in the consultation, raising issues related to pest management, production challenges and value addition.
Describing the meeting as a mini India, Chouhan noted that farmers spoke in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, with interpreters facilitating the discussions.
Among the key suggestions placed before the Centre were the development of disease-resistant coconut varieties, cluster-based cultivation, strengthening of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), greater mechanisation in harvesting and processing, and promotion of bio-control methods to tackle pests such as whitefly.
Farmers also proposed expanding coconut-based integrated farming by combining crops such as cocoa and pepper with dairy and fisheries to diversify income. Another major suggestion was the inclusion of coconut oil in the Public Distribution System (PDS) to stabilise market demand and support prices for growers.
The Minister said the Coconut Development Board had already written to states seeking their views on incorporating coconut oil in the PDS.
Responding to questions on Tamil Nadu, Chouhan flagged gaps in the implementation of central welfare schemes, stating that proposals for nearly two lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) for 2024–25 remain pending in the state.
On MGNREGA (now VB-G RAM G), he said more than 3 lakh complaints of irregularities had been reported, including alleged duplication of work, false payments, and the use of machines instead of labourers.
"When such large-scale complaints arise, the state government must investigate seriously and take action," he said.
Chouhan stressed that development programmes should not be politicised and urged better coordination between the Centre and states for effective implementation of welfare schemes.
He also said the upcoming coconut initiative would integrate crop insurance, disaster risk management and value addition to strengthen the coconut–cashew–cocoa ecosystem and improve farmers' livelihoods.