Latest news with #Whitefly
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Coconut farmers demand integrated pest management to wipe out Whitefly
Members of Tamil Nadu Coconut Farmers Association staged a demonstration demanding an integrated pest management system to eradicate Whitefly pest attack in coconut palms. The association State general secretary, A. Vijayamurugan, said that lot of coconut trees had completely dried up across the State, including Virudhunagar due to the Whitefly attack. 'While many trees have died, lot others have lost their yielding capacity,' he complained. The State Government should come up with an integrated pest management plan to wipe out this pest. Complaining that no proper crop insurance scheme was available for the coconut trees, Mr. Vijayamurugan said that the officials were registering a few of the coconut trees in a farm. 'All the coconut trees should be covered under the crop insurance scheme like being done to other crops,' he said. Similarly, certain conditions for getting subsidy for drip irrigation system were preventing farmers with bigger land holdings from getting assistance from the Government. 'Hence, the full subsidy should be extended to all farmers so that the benefit of the scheme reached all the farmers,' he added. The district secretary of the association, Kalidassan, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association, Murugan, were among those who took part in the protest.
The Hindu
27-04-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
As mercury level goes up, prices of tender coconut skyrocket in Bengaluru
Every summer, the price of tender coconuts has been going up consistently, and this year, it stands at ₹60 - ₹70 per piece in Bengaluru. Consumers who depend on them to keep themselves hydrated have been lamenting on skyrocketing prices, mostly attributed to its limited supply. 'I remember drinking coconut water for ₹30 or ₹35 two years ago, but it has increased to ₹60 or ₹70 now, which is essentially a 100% increase. If I want to drink it regularly now, it cuts a hole in my pocket,' said Vaibhavi Bhat, a 20-year-old student from Mount Carmel College. Tender coconut growers have cited declining yield and changing environmental conditions for the decline in supply. 'Earlier, we used to get 1000 coconuts from a tree. Now, we get only 500,' said Dayanand, a tender coconut grower at Shettihalli in Hassan district. 'Due to environmental changes, the outer shell of the tender coconut doesn't form fully, leading to lower quality yield,' he added. According to one of the discussions in the recent Legislative Assembly session, coconut trees on 1.48 lakh hectares in 14 districts (mainly 64,457 hectares in Tumakuru and 34,530 hectares in Hassan district) of the State have been affected by Whitefly disease. A grant of ₹15.31 crore under the Coconut Development Board Scheme has been provided for integrated nutrient management during the current year. Besides Karnataka, some sellers also get their supply from neighbouring States. Mohammed Habeeb, a coconut seller in Vasanthnagar whose supply comes from Tamil Nadu, said, 'The supply has been less. The coconut trees have dried up, and there is no more fruit on them. I still have enough to sell for this week, but I do not know if I will have enough for next week.' Despite high prices, some Bengalureans continue to buy tender coconuts owing to the benefits. 'When I'm travelling outside, I could buy a water bottle for ₹20, but I prefer buying tender coconut because it not only quenches your thirst but also gives you more energy to survive in the heat,' said Kriti Agrawal, a homemaker in Mathikere.
