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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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2) Lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> irrigati<strong>on</strong> during summer. In the state not more than 10 per cent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

the crop receives irrigati<strong>on</strong> during summer (GOK, 1997: 12). According to<br />

the <strong>farm</strong>ers, irrigati<strong>on</strong> in frequent intervals is essential to increase the<br />

productivity levels during summer. On the other h<strong>and</strong>, during m<strong>on</strong>so<strong>on</strong>,<br />

excessive watering affects adversely the coc<strong>on</strong>ut productivity. This is a<br />

dichotomous situati<strong>on</strong> where <strong>farm</strong>ers need proper educati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> training as<br />

regards water management, to tackle the problems <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> excessive watering<br />

during summer <strong>and</strong> scarcity during summer. Use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> organic manures <strong>for</strong><br />

coc<strong>on</strong>ut <strong>farm</strong>ing has also come down, thereby adversely affecting the<br />

moisture retenti<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> productive capacity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coc<strong>on</strong>ut holdings.<br />

3) The problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> root-wilt is another major problem affecting the productivity<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coc<strong>on</strong>ut. As per the survey by the state government with the help <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

CPCRI <strong>and</strong> Coc<strong>on</strong>ut Development Board c<strong>on</strong>ducted during 1984-85, out <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

7.06 lakh ha. available under the crop during the period <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> survey, 3 lakh ha.<br />

were reported to be in the grip <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the devastating root wilt (about 43 %) <strong>and</strong><br />

leaf-rot diseases resulting in a total loss <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 968 milli<strong>on</strong> nuts. A more recent<br />

estimate made by the Department <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Agriculture based <strong>on</strong> a field survey<br />

jointly by the CPCRI, Coc<strong>on</strong>ut Board <strong>and</strong> the Dept. shows that about 80 lakh<br />

palms are in advanced stages <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> disease requiring immediate replacement 24 .<br />

24 As per the CPCRI study (1984-85), the proporti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> root wilt affected palms has<br />

been <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the highest in Kollam at 35.46 per cent. In Alleppey, it was 81.67 per cent,<br />

Kottayam, 82.95 per cent <strong>and</strong> Ernakulam 44.97 per cent. In Mynagappilly Panchayat<br />

(Kallada comm<strong>and</strong> area) in Kollam district, it has been reported that almost 67 per cent<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the coc<strong>on</strong>ut palms are affected by leaf rot disease, followed by palms affected by<br />

bud rot (31 %) <strong>and</strong> root wilt (22 %).<br />

311

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